


Pavor Nocturnus

by keeperoforden



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Claustrophobia, F/F, Get to chapter 11 then decide if to quit this fic, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Kara Danvers Needs a Hug, Kryptonite, Lena Luthor Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Leviathan (Supergirl), Mind Control, Mind Manipulation, Panic Attacks, Plot Twist, Protective Alex Danvers, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2020-11-28 19:07:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 47
Words: 28,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20971556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keeperoforden/pseuds/keeperoforden
Summary: Post reveal season 4 and season 5 parallel divergence. Lena is a morally grey character. Anything can happen.---Summary update:After learning of Kara's betrayal Lena proceeds with her ambitions of fixing the world, ridding it of lies and violence with her research all the while also intent on hurting Kara the way she was hurt. Leviathan has other plans.





	1. Waking Up

**Author's Note:**

> Had idea for a while but needed more info from 5x01. Don't have an upload schedule and tags and summary will evolve as I flesh this out.  
These characters are about to get hurt. So trigger warning and lets go.

A sigh escaped upon her waking. Her fringe obscured the crinkle her brow made.

Everything felt dull and sluggish. To merely open her eyes took a mighty effort, her eyelids resisting the attempts. When finally able to keep them open, they only revealed confusion.

She pulled her wrists that were affixed to cuffs at her sides while also trying to pull her feet out of similar ankle cuffs. But despite using all her strength both restraints held fast onto the bed beneath her with absolutely no give.

Supergirl fumed in frustration at her inability to escape. How did she get here? Where was here?

Surgical lights illuminated the room that was less than ten of her strides in length. There was a currently switched off monitor directly facing her on the wall and a camera above it pointed at her.

She looked at the side about to use her Xray vision to peer through the wall when she yelped, quickly shutting her eyes from the shock. Kara breathing quickened. The pain brought realization and she understood the familiarity of where she was. It was a reflective scatterfield and she was in Lena’s lab. In the same prison Lena built to keep Reign.

A hundred thoughts warped through Kara’s mind. Kara understood when Lena told her things wouldn’t be the same between them. But Lena forgave her didn’t she? She said they were still friends.

Using her heat vision would be useless within this force field. Kara struggled again against her restraints, which she guessed may have been made from Nth metal, as she neither could feel the effects of kryptonite or red sun light.

Lena wouldn’t do this.

“Whoever you are- come in here and face me!”

She struggled again.

_But…what if…it is Lena?_

She stilled as doubt filled her mind.

In the softness she would usually use when with her best friend, “Lena?”

As if in response, the camera as well as the monitor both powered up. The image of her restrained self displayed before her. She was still in her new Supergirl outfit as when she left Lena's pent house - pants and all.

Kara also noticed a small circular device affixed to her chest. Before the memory of what it was came to her, the device lit up and the burning green tendrils spread across her skin.

She groaned in surprise at the sensation but the intensity was not as high as she expected.

Still that didn’t mean she wanted more of it.

Kara redoubled her efforts against her bonds. Despite her knowing she couldn’t break free of Nth metal she still had to try.

She paused after a few minutes of her struggle to catch her breath. She stared directly at the camera.

“Lena?”

Kara’s agonizing scream ripped through the air and her body lifted off the bed as far as her restraints would allow- the sear of the kryptonite coursing through her body.

It would be the first scream of the many that would be drawn from Kara in that manner before she finally passed out.


	2. Between Two Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW. Panic Attacks. Claustrophobia

Her eyes shut themselves even tighter and her hand immediately reached up, trying to soothe the pound in her head. But it was of little help.

Headaches weren’t the best way to wake up but it sure beat the hell out of continuing the nightmare. Even though awake, it felt like every inch of Kara’s body clung onto the memory of the sear of kryptonite.

She began to stretch out of the fetal position she woke in but the attempt halted abruptly and she could hardly move over a few inches.

Kara cracked open tired eyes that widened in shock.

Limbs shot out in every direction as the air became thick. Her feet kicked beneath her and her hands pressed against the surface her enclosure.

Kara was in a box. Crammed in a small, wooden, box.

Whimpers sprung forth as she slammed her feet against the surface beneath them and slammed her palms upwards. But her efforts were of meager human strength and did nothing to aid in escape.

Attempting to understand how or why hardly mattered. Reasons and rational thought were evaporating quickly as panic was setting in.

Kara had to wrestle for control. Control over her trembling muscles. Control over her breathing. Control over her thoughts. She closed her eyes not needing to see the walls that were already closed in on her.

A sheen of sweat formed on her skin.

_Deep breaths in and out._

_This isn't real. It’s just a dream. I’m still asleep. I just have to wake up. _

Wrapping her arms around her knees that were already forcefully drawn close, she tensed her body and squeezed her eyes closed even tighter.

Reminding herself to keep breathing. Willing herself to wake up. She was Supergirl and there was no need for her to be afraid of bad dreams.

Kara stayed that way, how long- she wasn’t sure. Maybe five minutes maybe five hours. In the finite space, time seemed infinite.

When she finally dared to open her eyes, Kara was back in Lena’s lab restrained to the bed once more.

Once more the device affixed to her activated and Kara could do nothing more that watch herself on the monitor as the green unfurled across her skin and vocalize the resulting agony.


	3. Meeting Your Specter

Struggling was pointless but not quitting was simply a habit. So Kara kept trying to rip out of arm cuffs to no success. She groaned in frustration. Relaxing for a moment to catch her breath, she stared back at her trapped self on the monitor.

Thoughts churned in her mind. She was obviously being tortured, but by who? Why? How did they get a hold of Lena’s technology? What did they want?

With her heart rate and breathing slowing down the device fired up, sending pain throughout her writhing body. Kara clenched her jaw stifling her scream so it was just a tortured groan this time.

The shock came to a stop and at least with it she worked out the pattern. The intensity and duration of the pain were both always the same, but it never came at a set interval. Sometimes sooner, sometimes there was a long wait in between shocks. But now, Kara realized it all depended on her. The moment she relaxed to a certain point it would come. Like it forced her to continue struggling. Whoever it was didn’t want her to relax.

That’s why there was a monitor reflecting her situation back at her. So she could not only feel helpless- she also could see that she was. That even with all her kryptonian power there was no escape.

But Supergirl was anything but helpless.

Her chest heaved and fury boiled in her. Gritting her teeth the power within her built up and shot through her eyes, melting both the camera and monitor.

Whipping her head to the side, with a yell, the heat vision hit the force field that contained her. Unsurprisingly the sustained blast however had no effect and Kara didn’t think solar flaring in this situation was a good idea, despite her frustration. 

“Come out you coward! You think you can keep me here?!”

Kara flexed her arms and gave her mightiest heave against the Nth metal yet. All that was achieved was the softest of groans from the metallic restraint, yet Kara smirked, Nth metal or not- she’d get out of here eventually. 

The scatter field deactivated and Kara’s heart sank the moment she gazed through the force field. Her mouth went dry as she swallowed and her blue eyes already glistened with tears.

The force field deactivated and the specter stepped forward toward her.

“I’m sure I’ve been called many things Supergirl but coward isn’t one usually associated with name Luthor.”

Kara exhaled sharply as she blinked out the tears that blurred her vision. She opened her mouth to speak but words were not easily forthcoming.

Her brain was stuck on one word- “Lena?”


	4. Resist and Endure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is quite difficult to write and stay on track while watching the series. Each new ep makes new ideas pop up.

“Who else did you think it would be?”

Kara swallowed nervously with Lena towering overhead glaring down at her. Her hair pulled back in a high pony tail dressed in a black three piece suit and a dark green button up beneath her waist coat. Full CEO regalia. Current situation aside, she exuded power, as she always did when she wore suits.

They stared at each other wordlessly tears continuing to stream out of Kara’s eyes. What could she possibly say that she hadn’t already? Something deep inside her felt like it was being crushed. She shut her eyes and slammed her head back against the bed at the feeling.

The indulgence of frustration was short lived as kryptonite shot through her body once more, pulling a scream from her and drew her back into the scenario.

“Painful? That isn’t even half the intensity I used on Reign.”

“Lena- I thought- you forgave me?”

Lena’s eyebrow arched high.

“Did you really think I would? You didn’t break just anyone’s heart _Supergirl_. A Super of all people ought to know that Luthors are scorpions- we sting. And now I’m going to break the girl of steel in return.”

“Lena you aren’t just another Luthor! You never were and you don’t have to be. You don’t have to do this. This- this isn’t you!”

Lena’s eyes were brilliant green as they bore into her glistening blue. Her hand came up to Kara’s face and with a tender touch Lena’s thumb wiped the tears off Kara’s face.

“I’m not going to kill you Supergirl. You are going to experience the same hurt that you inflicted on me. And then you are going to wish that I did kill you.”

Through tears, Kara’s body tensed with defiance in spite of the fear and regret that gripped her soul.

Lena gave her a smirk.

“That’s it Supergirl- resist and endure like the hero you are. If you break too soon I won’t be satisfied.”

Kara watched as Lena turned on her heel and walked away. Behind her the force field and reflective scatter field reactivated.

With her heart feeling as though it was caught in a vice, the kryptonite fired up and her screams started afresh under a new pattern of pain, one she could not figure out before it rendered her unconscious once more.


	5. Reprogramming

“Lena!”

Kara pounded against the confines of the box she was trapped in. Her rotation of pain had ended and the cycle of terror began.

“Lena please! Let me out!” she screamed breathlessly.

_This can’t be really happening. How does Lena know? I never told her about this. _

Her chest was tight and her throat constricted. She could hardly get enough air. It was like a noose was tightening around her windpipe. Kara clawed at her throat and tugged at the neckline of her suit but she was still suffocating. As sweat rolled off her skin as she gasped desperately for oxygen that was not making its way to her lungs.

Lena said she wasn’t going to kill her but Kara was certain she was about to die. Lena already stuffed her in a coffin.

Her vision blurred and she slipped into oblivion with one word on her breath.

“Lena.”

\---

From the corner of her eye Lena peered away from her microscope to observe her latest acquisition.

One traitor brought to heel. As for the other- all in time.

Lena was going to do what she always wanted to do- to help humanity. She would do so by fixing them, all it would take is a little reprogramming.

Lena stared at the evolved human she created who was analyzing data. Hope. Did Eve still exist? Did she just destroy a person?

No. Technology made everything better, made Eve better. Now that Hope was a part of Eve, despite her traitorous face, she trusted her completely. And they were going to do wondrous things together.

Hope cocked her head sideways as if she heard something. Then swiveled her lab stool to stare directly back at Lena.

“Director Danvers is here to see you Ms. Luthor,” Hope said with her emotionless voice.

Lena raised her eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “What could it possibly be? Supergirl must need saving again.”

Hope said nothing as she watched Lena head to the elevator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a plan in motion in this fic. Trust me.  
I'm also literally posting as I write it down so my bad if short chapters aren't your thing.


	6. Humans are talking

Still wearing her lab coat Lena walked into her office to find the Director of the DEO waiting for her.

“Alex? I’m sorry to be to the point but I’m in the middle of something in the lab. What can I do for you?”

Alex turned around- her face marked by worry.

“Lena.”

“Alex? What’s wrong?”

“Supergirl- Kara’s missing.”

Lena’s breath caught in her lungs and raised her eyebrows, momentarily dumbstruck.

“Missing?”

“I got a call from Nia- Kara didn’t show up for work. She’s not answering her phone and she’s not at her apartment. Andrea Rojas is furious.”

“And you thought I’d know where she is?”

“I’m trying to retrace her steps. I don’t even know when she first went missing?”

The gears in Lena’s head grinded out of her control and she could do nothing but blurt out what came next.

“And what, you thought- you ask the Luthor that just found out that she’s been lying to me for years? In case I did something to her?”

Alex’s face contorted in confusion.

“What? No. I’m just trying to figure out what was her last location. If she came to see you- I know she wanted to talk to you.”

The anger receded from Lena’s face and was replaced with an embarrassment. But for Alex suspicion was already raised.

“Lena, Kara said that you two were ok- that you forgave her. But it sounds like you haven’t really.”

Lena exhaled. Her practiced control slipped for a moment and now Alex glimpsed her hurt. Walking around her desk she slumped onto her chair, trying to come up with something to say, finding that she couldn’t look Alex in the eye.

“It’s been hard, knowing that you all have been lying to me for all this time. I only expected it from my family- we are snakes after all. But not from Kara. I’ve been trying to process how I feel about it after she told me. I haven’t seen her since then. I guess she’s been giving me space.”

Alex nodded.

“I get it Lena. You’re angry, throwing yourself into your work in the lab-so you don’t have to think about it. So you can isolate yourself. But that isn’t living. That’s hiding. You can’t bottle up your feelings and expect it go away.”

Lena stared at her with lowered brow.

“You should talk to her- really talk. That’s the only way you’ll grow. And be stronger together.”

Lena raised her brow again as she considered the advice.

“I didn’t know Director Danvers was so good with feelings.”

Alex gave a wry smile, “Well I am dating a shrink of late.”

Lena gave a small smiled as she huffed.

“Is there anything I can do to help you find Kara?”

“No and it is probably better that you don’t get involved.”

Lena frowned, “What does _that_ mean?”

“This is the bit where I explain that knowing Kara is Supergirl might put you in danger. We’ve been targeted by a shape shifter lately. So if you aren’t mixed up with us right now there is a good chance you won’t get caught in the cross hairs.”

“Still- I’ll pull some resources and see if I can help with in finding her. Where was she last spotted?”

“CatCo.”

“I’ll call you if anything comes up. And I'll talk to Andrea for you- try to get her off Kara's back.”

“Thank you Lena. For everything.”

"I'm sure we'll find her."

"Yeah I'm sure we'll find her- she'll be fine," Alex nodded but her voice wavered with uncertainty.

Lena rested her head back onto her chair as she watched Alex leave her office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you seeing when I update? I feel like they aren't showing up when I post.


	7. Unplug

Time was but an abstract concept now. There was no start or end or linear movement to it any more. In that way it felt as if Kara was once again trapped in the phantom zone, but this time, with pain and terror keeping constant vigil over her between consciousnesses.

Kara didn’t keep count of how many times she shifted from kryptonite to claustrophobia, but eventually developed a preference. Being trapped in the box brought a reprieve from the kryptonite flaying but brought a suffocating death each time. Lena had a point about one thing, it was easier for her to resist and endure kryptonite. It was something to push against. But being in the box was an uncontrollable horror that came from within her.

So endured she did. First the sessions strapped down to the bed became longer. Then the shocks became more intense. It stretched the edges of her tolerance each time.

But her claustrophobia threatened to follow her here as well. Confined. With no way out. Imprisoned in endless time became the box that began to close in on her mind.

Supergirl however would never be accused of not resisting and she found a way.

With her eyes half open and without focus, barely aware of the torment she still faced, Kara’s mind divided itself. She dived deep into her memories. Of her family both from Krypton and the one she made here on Earth. They were probably worried about her as they always were, but she knew they would be fine without her. Thoughts of them held her now. They were her refuge. Even Lena. At least the version of her she knew was good and kind despite everything that screamed at her to be otherwise. The version of Lena that resisted the darkness she thought she had.

Kara hadn’t become aware that the shocks had stop for a while. Instead she felt a tender stroke on her hair that was lulling her back into the room. Gentle and light. Maybe the nightmare was over.

“Kara. Come back to me Kara.”

Following the voice she forced her eyelids open, her consciousness trying to come back to her.

“Lena.”

Kara tried to bring her hand up to bring her hand up to Lena’s but it was still restrained. She exhaled as she pulled her arms sharply in frustration.

“You slipped away for a while Kara. What would people think if they knew Supergirl hid in the face of dire circumstances? They would think you’re a fraud. We can’t have that can we?”

Kara slammed her head back and tried to regain whatever composure she had.

“Lena please stop this.”

Lena obliged and stopped her strokes on Kara’s hair, stepped back and folded her arms. She was in an all black suit this time.

“Stop? No chance of that happening. Alex came by- she finally started looking for you. And of course I told her I’ll help with her search. She won’t look for you here. We have all the time to ourselves.”

Kara closed her eyes tears pooling in her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok i have no idea why it isnt showing up as updated.


	8. Update requires restart

“Tell me Supergirl- are you ever afraid that people will see you are nothing without your powers? A weak, average, _deceiving_ nobody? That without your superhuman abilities you aren’t a hero at all.”

People? That’s what Lena saw. Her words so casually uttered was like a knife twisting her heart.

“But you know what Kara? People put a lot of pressure on you to be this perfect hero. And the truth is not everything is your problem. Not everything is your responsibility.”

Kara opened her eyes to stare at Lena and frowned, “I live here and as long as I do I will protect it as best as I can.”

“You’re protecting people who make terrible and impulsive decisions based on their emotions on any given day.”

Lena sighed and drew close again.

“The world needs to change. It needs to evolve.”

Lena brought her hand to Kara’s face, and with her thumb gently traced along her eyebrows down her cheek and then underneath her jaw.

“I’ll fix the world Kara. But- I need to fix you first.”

The perlicue of Lena’s hand jammed into her windpipe and her fingers wrapped delicately around her throat. Kara looked at her in alarm.

Then it came.

The incinerating kryptonite flooded her body as Lena compressed her neck. Her body bucked and jerked violently on its own trying to get away but Lena’s grip held her firmly down. Kara’s eyes bulged as she locked eyes with a determined Lena.

“Le- Lena stop. Please.”

Kara grasped onto consciousness for as long as possible- knowing what came after. Pain and lack of air felt like it went on forever before Kara could struggle no more, her eyes rolling back into her head.

\---

But Kara was ill prepared for where she ended up next.

Out of her half sized coffin, she awoke sitting up with her knees drawn toward her chest unable to extend an inch, with her newest confinement no wider than her shoulders. Her head painfully bent down toward her knees unable to fully straighten her neck due to the lack of room.

Kara whimpered loudly, immediately hyperventilating. A tingle spread throughout her body and a tremor found a place in her fingers. She hadn’t thought it could have gotten worst. How could she possibly fit in an even smaller box?

There was no room. No air. Her heart pounded as cold sweat formed on her skin. Was she going to have a heart attack this time? She could feel the noose round throat once more.

How many times did she have to die?

She couldn’t do this anymore and released a desperate bellow to the void outside of her confines.

“LENA!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have stuck with this story thus far and endured as Kara has, your pay off is coming.


	9. Who we are

The presence she felt behind her is what drew her from sleep. Apparently she had dozed away in her lab. She sat up on her stool and peered behind her, blinking the tiredness from her.

Eve, no- Hope (a combination of both) stood silently behind her; watching her with a neutral affect on her face.

“Ms. Luthor you fell asleep. As you should. Rest is important for optimal brain function.”

“How long was I out?”

“About an hour. You should really get some more. That’s what I’m about to do.”

“You're going to sleep?”

“Yes- I can feel my functionality diminish in Eve Teschmacher’s body. This mobile platform is not equipped for optimal efficiency without rest. Luckily I can continue working from my local network while this platform regenerates.”

“Have you had any progress in locating Supergirl?”

Hope cocked her head in mild confusion, as much as an artificial intelligence could muster.

“I did not think that was truly a priority.”

Lena stood up with a visible irk in her expression.

“I expect when I ask you to do something that you do it Hope. If you can’t assist me in these simple tasks what good would you be for more complex ones?”

“Apologies Ms. Luthor. Reprioritizing. Resources tasked. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“No Hope that will be all.”

“One final thing before I leave Ms. Luthor, there is someone here to meet you.”

Lena straightened, “Here? In the lab? How is it that people are gaining unauthorized access to my lab?”

“Always hard to get proper help these days isn’t that right Lena Luthor?”

Lena whipped around to see an old woman in her lab.

Hope noiselessly exited the room leaving the two women alone.

“Who are you? How did you get in here?”

The grey haired woman who seemed well passed her 70’s smiled.

“Neither of those answers matter Lena Luthor. What matters is we thoroughly support your current endeavors and want you very much to succeed. We are willing to provide you with any resources you might need.”

Lena’s eyes darkened with anger- furious that this stranger not only accessed her lab, but claimed to know about her current research.

“You’re right I don’t need to know who you are- I just need you to get out and don’t come back. I don’t appreciate distractions and appreciate far less intruders.” 

“Of course- we understand. Which is why we want to offer you a gift- to show our goodwill. We are certain it will lead you being less distracted by trivial problems and provide the focus needed to bring change the world desperately needs.”

Lena smirked.

“You break into my lab to offer me a gift? Want nothing in return? That’s not suspicious at all.”

The old woman sighed before she pulled her trump card.

“We know your trust has been betrayed countless times. But don’t let your feelings get in the way of making the world a better place. We have much more faith that you will succeed where the other Luthors have failed.”

Lena’s smirk faded. The old woman’s words were like an arrow to Lena’s heart- dashing her insecurities, exposing her human weakness and stoking the fires of her ego all at the same time.

Sure she done her work, the old woman pulled out a piece of paper from her coat pocket and offered it to Lena.

“Our offering is at this address. When you see it, if it isn’t worth anything to you, you aren’t obligated to take it and our offer of resources to you will still stand.”

Lena hesitated for a moment but her determination and curiosity now was too high to refuse.

The old woman smiled and then wordlessly headed toward the elevator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well...i'm glad no one guessed this


	10. Jack in the Box

Some people would call her reckless given the amount of attempts there were on her life, but it was no strange occurrence for Lena to go on her own highly dangerous and suspicious activities on her own.

Today, thankfully she did so having slept the night. After a highly rational discussion with Hope at her apartment, she realized that she did need more resources to move her research forward, especially with Supergirl _indisposed_ at the moment, and that her human emotions were making her look a possible gift horse in the mouth.

But Lena couldn’t completely dispense her trust issues. So, dressed to own a boardroom in her maroon three piece suit, she causally waltzed into the warehouse facility, her gun tucked away. And for an added false sense of security, Supergirl’s watch was on her wrist. _Not that she could come. _

The guards all seemed to expect her and pointed the way for her, not one stopping to relieve her of these items. People busy moving crates, containers, boxes- not paying her any attention.

As she entered Lena was immediately greeted by the old woman and her entourage of security.

“Lena Luthor. I’m glad you came.”

“High security here.”

“As it should be, what we have to offer is of high value. Great power to be both guarded and contained.”

“I still don’t know who is this ‘we’ you’re talking about.”

“All in time. Shall _we_.”

The old woman gestured her to follow and so she did, five guards accompanying them. To an elevator that went down to the sub level floor.

They made their way to a heavy door that was bolted shut. The manual locks making it seem more like an old dungeon than anything else.

Lena noticed a red glow from underneath the door frame.

As one of the guards began unlocking, the old woman spoke.

“We truly are impressed with your all your research Lena Luthor. While Obsidian North is using technology for profit we see your desire to make the world a better place. Using VR lenses and creating a simulated world- _an inception_ nothing short of remarkable. We have been doing our own parallel study of your work- with an emphasis on practical application. We _hope_ that you see our gift the way we do- as proof of concept- that even in its infancy your work yield results and perfection and efficiency in its application is all that is required.”

The old woman nodded and the door was opened. Revealing a room bathed in red light.

The three guards entered first before the old woman invited Lena in. Two guards remained outside- locking them in the room after they crossed the threshold.

Lena pushed her fear as far back as she could, holding onto her business-like expressionlessness. She swung her hands behind her back clasping them. The back of her hand brushed against her gun, the tips of her fingers traced the face of her watch.

In the middle of the room was an almost square, metallic, storage trunk. One of the guards thumped on the top of it, the loud bang echoing in the empty room.

“You have been using a simulation to purge yourself of emotion- in effort to gain more control of your own mind.”

The guards surrounded the box and one of them started unlocking the trunk.

“Sometimes however, to gain control, you cannot empty you have to fill.”

The top of the trunk opened. But nothing happened. Not as far as Lena could see and she dared not leave the old woman’s side.

A guard kicked the bottom of the box but still nothing. They turned to the old woman who nodded.

Two of the burlier guards reached in the box, affixed their grip and heaved Supergirl up and out by her arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoying? Did you see Leviathan coming?


	11. Information Overload, Situation Lost Control

A disheveled Supergirl was lifted out of her confines. She offered no help or resistance. Her feet dragging over the top of the Nth metal trunk.

As she was planted onto the ground and released, she immediately collapsed, her feet unable to support her weight. From the ground awareness seemed to be returning to her. Her breathing quickened. She crawled backwards away from the trunk, trying to get away from her prison.

“Kara?”

Kara stopped her movement and turned to the familiar voice, holding her breath. Wide eyed like a deer caught in headlights. Tears fell unhindered from her haunted and sunken eyes, retracing the old stains of previous streams.

On all fours, Kara crawled to Lena’s feet, and then rose onto her knees. Keeping her eyes downward, she wrapped her arms gently around Lena’s legs holding on as tightly as she could, head against Lena’s hip. 

“Lena. Hurt me however you want. But please- not in the box again. Please.”

\--

Lena felt paralyzed by confusion. Her mind kicking into overdrive trying to sort through the sudden information overload she was experiencing.

Supergirl wasn’t just missing, she was abducted. Whoever these people were- _they_ captured Kara. Had the resources and know how to keep her contained. They trapped her in a box knowing she was clearly claustrophobic. Perhaps less than 48 hours they were able to take the vision of pride and strength that was Supergirl and demolish it.

_Proof of concept._ She was going to rid people of their ugly, undesirable instincts to hurt each other. To reprogram organics. But her work with Q Waves was still very much in its infancy. She still didn’t know the right frequency to implant thoughts into the brain._VR lenses._ They used it on Supergirl. While Lena used them in an effort to get rid of her emotions and _they_ must have trapped Supergirl in a simulation- constructing a blank slate in her mind that only projected torment.

Lena could feel Kara tremble against her at her feet.

_Trapped in a simulation where I was hurting her_.

This was what she wanted. To hurt Supergirl. To manipulate her. To crush her.

This was what she wanted._ Wasn’t it?_

Why then did this feel so wrong?

Why was she wrestling a retching feeling that was forcing its way up?

Lena’s situational contemplation became abruptly interrupted when she felt Kara’s arms suddenly release her legs. The kryptonian’s every muscle contracted.

In alarm, Lena stepped out of her reach. She watched with an internal horror the green branches of kryptonite across her skin spread up Kara’s taut neck and clenched jaw. A stifled groan emanated from her throat. Finally her blue eyes turned a sickening incandescent green.

Gritting her teeth, with the last remaining ounce of presence of mind, Kara’s green eyes locked onto Lena’s. Then it became all too much, Kara threw her head back releasing a silent scream that left a ringing in Lena’s ear.

Kara’s eyes rolled back and she fell forward onto the floor.


	12. The End of Resistance

Lena held her breath. Only exhaling when she noticed the shallow breaths a slumped over Kara took.

“Fascinating species isn’t she? Did you know that a kryptonian’s cells will still absorb kryptonite radiation even when exposed to red sunlight?” the old woman stated casually.

“Her tolerance for pain is actually quite impressive. But then again- what is pain to someone who has watched their world destroyed before their very eyes?”

Lena hardened herself, stuffing everything she felt in all the tiny boxes she could rummage up in her mind.

“What exactly have you done to her?”

“We’ve done what would have normally taken months in a matter of hours. The rules of time can be broken within a simulation. Crude as it might be, we deem this a success. We’ve bent Supergirl to your will.”

“That won’t work.”

The old woman now smirked, “We wouldn’t have brought you here if it hadn’t.”

“Why do this? I already had her wrapped around my finger. I could have gotten her to do what I want.”

“Isn’t ridding the world of lies the aim Lena Luthor? It’s a bit hypocritical trying to propagate a world without deception if your work itself is derived from your own manipulations, don’t you think?”

The truth was stifling.

“This way you simply have obedience. With the continuation of your research, we are certain that at its apex, what has taken hours of ugly effort here can be done instantaneously.”

“You tortured her,” Lena stated but it was really a question.

The old woman turned and stared with a gleam in her eye- catching her meaning.

“No. You did. In her mind you've been doing so for weeks, maybe more. Time stretches to infinity with pain and fear.”

Lena's veins in her face popped.

“You seem upset? What exactly do you disapprove of Lena Luthor? Method, subject or success?”

Tension filled the room as all eyes were on her- waiting for a response.

Lena pushed away all of her humanity with a raise of her eyebrow and summoned all the angry cockiness she could find to replace it.

“Well where to start? How about the irksome fact that you stole my research? Then used it on someone _I_ was already using fulfill to my own ends. And people wonder why I have trust issues.”

Lena sighed, “Still, this could prove useful at least in trying to narrow down the correct Q Wave frequency. Supergirl is still up for offer isn’t she?”

Kara began to stir, her muscles tight from the residual effect of the kryptonite.

“Of course- once you put the appropriate containment mechanisms in place. You'll need somewhere to put your new pet. She and anything else you need to move your research forward is yours.”

“Then I’ll expect her at L-Corp within a couple hours. You can be discreet can’t you?”

“We always work unseen Lena Luthor.”

Supergirl’s eyes opened and she moaned as she drew her arms close about to make an attempt at rising.

The old woman nodded and the two guards who had lifted Supergirl out of her confines lifted her to her feet once more and began dragging her back to it.

Realizing this, adrenaline kicked in and Kara began struggling against them. The amount of fight she had left in her startled everyone in the room. But the truth was- it was pure fear.

“No! Lena please! No!”

She wrenched free one of her arms and elbowed the guard in the face.

The guard at the opposite side however sprung into action, twisting her arm behind her back and putting her in a choke hold with his other arm. Even restrained as such Kara fought back- clawing and pulling with any bit of energy she had left.

“Stop!” Lena hissed.

All eyes again fell upon her once more, no one moving, but she didn’t flinch. Instead Lena locked eyes with Kara’s this time and moved till she was standing before her.

Her green eyes icy as she issued her command, “Stop resisting.” Her eyebrows arching high daring Supergirl to defy her.

Kara’s desperate attempts stilled and her stricken gaze was followed by her face crumpling. Her eyes transparent to her internal shame as her body went limp. She had to surrender- to give up. There was no mercy. No escape. No hope. She looked like she was about to cry but had no more tears within her to do so. She closed her eyes gently, resigning to her fate, all the while her body trembling.

As the guard holding Kara hauled her back the box, the one she managed to slip away from fumed and buried his fist into her stomach, hard, causing her body to lurch forward, leaving her gasping for air. The pleasure of his revenge was short lived as a shot rang out and a searing pain in his right knee left him screaming as he fell flat on the floor.

The third guard drew his own weapon and pointed it at Lena.

Lena who had just kneecapped the man lowered her weapon slowly, “_Don’t_ damage my property. I suggest the rest of you be extra careful with what’s mine.”

The old woman smiled at Lena and nodded at her guards.

Holstering his weapon, the third guard grabbed Supergirl by the feet and both he and his comrade deposited her limp form back in the box and then locked it once more.

“Within the two hours Lena Luthor we shall bring her to you.”

“And just who is this we I’m dealing with?”

“_We;_ are Leviathan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who waited for the drop. Reading your reactions keep the words coming.  
Still lots of questions to be answered. Still the ending to piece together. We'll get there.


	13. I'm the monster

LCorp’s Safety officers should be pleased. Though not an emergency evacuation, the entire building was emptied within 30 minutes, with all workers getting the rest of the day off with pay. Their boss Lena Luthor was bringing in some potentially hazardous materials into her lab and did not want any mishaps to occur. Even building security was asked to leave.

The building was for the most part on lockdown. Hope was tasked to see about the rest of building’s security in the interim while making preparations for Supergirl’s arrival. They would put her in the same cell Eve Tesmacher was being held in, with some kryptonian specific alterations.

All surveillance feeds for Lena’s lab were switched off, and the area isolated and rendered a dead zone. Hope was assigned to comb through the network for any vulnerabilities, searching for hacks that might have occurred.

Though the threat was now named there were still many unanswered questions. Top on the list- how did they possibly know about Lena’s research? This was also Hope’s mystery solve for the time being, for her mistress was otherwise preoccupied.

For Lena Luthor sat alone in her office.

She needed to be alone. She sat in her chair staring blankly ahead. The last look of Supergirl burnt into her eyes. Lena wondered if she would ever see anything else.

Leviathan may have tortured Supergirl but the moment Lena commanded her to stop fighting- that was the moment Supergirl broke. All that time Kara fought her fears, her pain, only to break at that moment. The moment when Lena knew she had to be the cold Luthor to get them both out. It was Lena who had stripped all hope away from her. Lena saw it wither and die in Kara’s eyes.

She broke Supergirl. Not Leviathan. 

Lena was really a Luthor now. A monster. A villain.

In over a month she hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol and now she returned to it like if her life depended on it. However it did little to soothe the tremor in her hand or the screaming in her soul.

The last vision of Kara made her sick, the way she stared back at her. Broken inside. She didn’t save Kara, she destroyed her.

The only thing holding Lena’s mind together at the moment was the hope that maybe she could fix it. That she could fix Kara. She didn’t know how yet. To undo what her work had done. Andrea Rojas had cut her off from using any more VR lenses and her own inception tuner wasn’t anywhere near completion.

Once again her work was stolen and abused. Perverted. Twisted beyond its good intentions. She could have murdered that old woman when she realized what they had done but then Lena too might have ended up in a box and Kara would have never left that place.

Or maybe it was her.

That she was the twisted one. On every turn her technology has backfired, doing harm instead of good. She thought she was someone who would leave spiders alone in the shower. But the truth was she always tried moving it and it seemed that in doing so she ended up killing them.

Kara. Someone who had watched their whole world destroyed and still somehow didn’t fall into a black hole of despair. Whose light shone bright and warmed everyone around her. Would the light ever return? Her vitality?

Lena should have said within an hour. Waiting was agony.

In a way though, it was an agony she deserved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> angst time :)


	14. Accepting Gifts from Strangers

An armed security detail waltzed into LCorp. A black tarp covering the object that was secured by ratchet straps onto the platform truck they were wheeling into the building. Even if the building was full, no one would ever have guessed it was Supergirl they were transporting. Like if it was just some materials for the lab. Or if it was a wild animal.

Lena swallowed the nausea threatening to overwhelm her. 

The head of the detail met Lena with a smile.

“Delivery for you Ms. Luthor.”

Lena only raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

“Took you long enough. The wheels of science almost ground to a halt.”

Lena spun on her heel and led them to the building’s freight elevator. The ride down was silent with no indication that a living thing was even being transported.

The truck was wheeled into the middle of the lab where four of the five guards released the cargo and placed the same storage trunk from the warehouse on the ground.

“You’re sure this place can hold her?”

“Please- I’ve held a world killer prisoner here. Supergirl is not nearly as powerful- less than half that effort really.”

The man sneered, clearly enjoying Lena’s berating at every turn.

“Are you certain you didn’t damage the subject?”

“Of course! After what you did- no one touched a hair on her since. But we think she may have gotten a bit motion sick on the way.”

The trunk was opened and an unconscious Supergirl was lifted out. Lena instantly paled at the sight.

Patches of Supergirl’s uniform were soiled with what appeared and _smelled_ like bilious vomit. Ends of her hair wet with it. Her chin and neck caked with the dry sludge.

The snide jeers the guards made were all muffled to Lena lost in her own horror, as they dragged Supergirl onto the bed of her new cell.The head of the detail broke through her contemplation as her presented to her an additional gift.

“This is also for you,” showing off a seemingly regular tablet.

“It is actually based on your own design, a kryptonite shock collar if you will but implanted within. If she ever gets out of control all you have to do is turn up the juice…”

Demonstrating, he fired it up and Supergirl’s muscles contracted, her body lurched upward into the air, skin ignited in green.

The guards laughed at the hero’s powerlessness. But he failed to gain more than another bored eyebrow raise from the young Luthor.

“Are you quite finished? I have the world to fix.”

He deactivated the kryptonite and handed over the tablet to Lena.

“Have fun Ms. Luthor.”

The security detail returned to the elevator leaving Lena, Supergirl and the storage trunk behind.


	15. Learned Helplessness

Lena had cleaned Kara’s as best as she could while computers performed their non invasive scans on her physical form. Under sun lamps Kara lay unconscious with Lena sitting on a lab stool at her side, waiting.

Waiting for the moment that Kara would awaken. Waiting to determine if she could truly help her friend.

Friendship felt like that was a lifetime ago that went nothing like the way she planned. Kara somehow saw through the Luthor name and Lena found a place she could be vulnerable. But then a hurricane of feeling devastated her and Kara became an alien invader that gave her the greatest gift and then took it away.

Now this.

For a truth that in retrospect would have been revealed to her eventually. But the petty Luthor ways took over. Lena could feel it in the caged recesses of her mind- a fading scream saying that Kara got what she deserved for lying.

Her conscious thoughts now knew better however, _she_ really messed up this time.

How could there be any going back from this?

That hardly mattered; she just needed to undo everything.

The monotonous beep of Kara’s vitals on the nearby monitor gradually began racing. A sheen of sweat formed on her skin as her lungs played catch up to her heart rate. Her thrashing confined to her head, shoulders and torso. Her throat was taut with strain, her blood vessels bulging. 

Lena rose to her feet. Kara wasn’t having a heart attack, she was having a nightmare.

Kara throaty moans now came in between her short quick breaths.

“Kara?”

\----

Her eyes flung open with a deep inhale, the sound of her own name was like a scream that rang in her ears, as if she were hearing sound for the first time in years.

She didn’t even get the chance to see where she was, all she saw was the kryptonite, green eyes staring down at her, pinning her down. They paralyzed her. Kara couldn’t look away from it, though it seemed different now than before. Familiar and more…concerned. Regardless, she couldn’t look away.

‘Stop resisting’ was the only thing that was echoing in her brain.

\---

“Kara? Can you hear me?”

The blues of her eyes were almost hidden by the dilation of her irises. Kara’s heart rate and breathing both remained rapid. Her body frozen and unmoving, her arms and legs rigid and locked into place, although there was nothing restraining her. Almost as if she was experiencing sleep paralysis.

Lena gently touched Kara’s hand stroking gently. 

“It’s ok Kara. You’re safe now. You’re safe- no one is going to hurt you again.”

But her reassurances were of little help.

“You’re safe Kara. You don’t have to say anything. Just listen.”

Lena frowned as she began explaining the situation.

“You’ve been trapped in a simulation using virtual reality lenses. Whatever happened- it wasn’t real.”

Kara frowned into her confusion. Her eyes shifting ever so slightly appearing as thought her brain were processing it all, but never once took her untrusting eyes off Lena’s.

“I’m so sorry Kara.”

Lena brought her hand up and gently cupped Kara’s face, her thumb stroking her cheek tenderly. Kara pressed her head back against the bed, but made no other move to get away. But her heart rate doubled and her eyes widened even more. Her muscles coiled tight like a snake before striking.

“But you’re safe now and I promise- I’ll fix you.”

However Lena’s determination faltered as Kara stopped breathing immediately and her wide eyes turned white with unreleased heat pooling beneath them.

Lena would have sworn two holes were about to be burnt into her skull after being obviously triggered, but there was a hesitation from Kara and so Lena simply carried on with her gentle musings with tearful regret now.

Just as Kara seemed like she going to let go of the fearful energy, the other shoe finally dropped.

Kara screamed and her body bucked upward with her skin engulfed by the green inferno of kryptonite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These gals need to catch a break. But at the same time I dont want them to. (Just writer problems)
> 
> Have I mentioned how hard it is to watch the series and write?


	16. Hope is the most dangerous feeling of all

“No no no. No! Kara!”

Lena grabbed Kara’s face trying in vain to comfort her through the pain.

“Kara look at me! Look at me it’s going to be ok.”

But fearful mistrust was the only thing Kara held deep in her eyes. Lena saw it now the way she saw it years ago when she first made kryptonite to stop Reign. The typical look one would give to a Luthor.

Everything that happened was real for Kara now, the virtual torture now cementing into reality. Then she fell back into unconsciousness and the kryptonite receded.

Lena could hardly breathe. Her fingers curled into blonde hair behind Kara’s ears and lowered her own forehead onto Kara’s as she shook with sobs.

“Kara. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Lena could feel her heart shredding as a shameful realization came to her.

“I don’t know how to fix it,” she whispered.

“Ms. Luthor, are you alright?”

Lena bolted upward to find Hope a safe distance away from the cell, gift tablet in hand.

“Hope- what have you done?”

“I saw that Supergirl was about to use her heat vision on you. Thankfully I subdued her before she could do something so catastrophic.”

The white heat was now in Lena but radiating fury. She stormed toward her assistant and yanked the control out of her hands.

“She wouldn’t have!”

“I calculated a 75% chance of her doing you harm Ms. Luthor,” a confused Hope affirmed.

“Then your calculations are wrong! You have no idea how to anticipate a person’s actions based on their emotions. Now you have ruined all chances of me helping her!”

Lena threw the tablet back onto the table away from Hope’s reach.

“From what I understand she is under your control. What help would she need? Now there is no way for her to hurt you again. Isn’t that what you wanted Ms. Luthor- a world where people couldn’t hurt each other?”

Lena scowled; agony clear on her face as it was in her soul.

“No Hope. I don’t think this is quite what I wanted.”

“This way Supergirl can serve your goals without having to manipulate her.”

“No.”

“And Supergirl now has experienced the same hurt she inflicted on you, just like you wanted Ms. Luthor.”

“NO!” Lena slammed her hands down on the table.

Hope cocked her head, “You aren’t pleased?”

Lena’s mouth quivered, “I told you- I’m not a villain.”

“Of course not Ms. Luthor. You didn’t do anything.”

Then why did she feel like one?

“Shall I try to narrow down the Q wave frequency using the scans from Supergirl?”

“No. That’s not a priority right now Hope.”

“Then how else can I assist you?”

“Have you finished your scan of our cyber security?”

“Currently I am 53% complete and have thus far not found any indications of hacks or vulnerabilities.”

As much as she want to work on removing whatever they implanted in Kara, Lena couldn’t risk Leviathan knowing what she was up to.

“Then there is nothing else for you to do until that task is complete.”

“Of course Ms. Luthor.”

“Hope, while Supergirl is here you are not to enter this lab again. Do you understand?”

“Yes Ms. Luthor.”

Hope exited, leaving Lena alone to contemplate her choices, none of which would be in her favor. All she could do was choose the best of the terrible options and hope that at least Kara would get the help she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) your comments keep me on my toes as this story may keep you on the edge of your seat (hopefully)


	17. Calling in the Cavalry

The building was abandoned. It shouldn’t be. So instinctively Alex Danvers drew her weapon as she made her way through the lobby at LCorp.

“Brainy, I’m at LCorp. Can you tell me why there is no one here?”

But there was only static on the line.

“Brainy do you copy? Brainy? This is Director Danvers of the D.E.O does anyone read?”

Signal jammed.

There was no sign of struggle or emergency. But there being no one at one of the biggest tech companies, in the middle of the week was highly suspicious. Not even security.

Alex made her way into the elevator with fleeting hope that everything with alright. Lena just asked her how fast she could get to LCorp. Down the rabbit hole she went.

\---

Alex finally got to Lena’s lab. She’d never been there before. It wasn’t quite what she expected. Lena always favored a white sterile looking aesthetic wherever she was. Alex lowered her weapon upon seeing Lena.

Lena was standing before an open metal storage container, half the size of Lena herself, on the ground looking into it, a glass of scotch in hand.

“Lena- is everything ok? What happened?”

As Alex approached the other side of the box, she could smell the bile before she saw it.

“Did something escape?”

“Escaped? In a way- yes. Do you think I could fit?”

“What?”

“In the box?”

“Barely. Lena what’s going on?”

“Where’s Kelly? She could help.”

“Kelly? She’s at work! Why would we need her help? Why is the building empty? Was there an attack?”

Lena finally tore her eyes away from the void of the box and stared at Alex with eerie eyes.

“Would you like a drink?”

Alex holstered her weapon. Sensing no immediate danger but knowing there was an unknown reason to worry.

“No- I want you to tell me what the hell is going on Lena. It sounded urgent.”

Lena wasn’t quite sure where to begin. “Have you ever heard of an organization called Leviathan?”

“No. Who are they?”

“I don’t know- but they’re dangerous. I think they have been able to access my latest research.”

“Research on what?”

“Mind control...” Lena swallowed nervously and took a drink.

“I’m sorry did you just say mind control?”

“Yes- my research is still in its infancy. After using Obsidian North’s VR lenses I theorized that I could implant thoughts, suggestions into the brain using a specific Q wave frequency. A frequency I haven’t been able to isolate yet. When I found it, I planned on using it to rid the world of people’s instincts to hurt each other.”

Alex’s eyes widened her breathing steady but quick as she continued listening. Her hand returned to rest on the grip of her sidearm.

Lena’s eyes dropped back to the void of the empty box.

“Non nocere. I wanted to create a world where organics would do no harm. Leviathan had different ideas.”

Tears fell from Lena’s eyes as she looked at Alex.

“I’m sorry- I’m a Luthor, Kara was right not to trust me.”

“Lena?”

“Leviathan abducted Supergirl- Kara- and trapped her in a simulation where she was being tortured- by me. They wanted to brainwash her so that she would be under my control. They want me to finish my work.”

The glass shattered as it fell out of Lena’s hand.

Alex didn’t even think when she closed the distance between them and grabbed Lena by the lapels of her suit, pushing her back against the nearest table.

“Where is she?”

“I helped her escape. But I think I broke her.”

“Where’s Kara!?” Alex shook Lena.

Lena pressed a button and the opaque screen to the back of the lab went transparent, revealing an unconscious Supergirl.


	18. Sit Rep

“Kara…”

The cell was opened and Alex hurried to Kara’s side, taking note of her sister’s displayed vitals which all seemed within normal range.

“Kara can you hear me?” touching her shoulder and taking Kara’s hand into her own.

Lena approached slowly behind her. Alex could sense her fear, her uncertainty. Uncertainty wasn’t something Luthors had much experience with. They were a family that thrived on always being one step ahead.

Alex collected her thoughts, pushing away her impulsivity. 

“And how long have you had her here?”

“Less than two hours ago, I thought I could get her back on her feet.”

“Two hours…” Alex squeezed Kara’s hand tighter. She wanted to explode. She was angry at Lena but more over angry at herself, once again failing to protect Kara.

“Has she woken up since she got here?”

Alex wasn’t looking at her or she’d see Lena’s mouth quiver.

“Briefly. But she didn’t say anything.”

Lena swallowed. The thin ice she had been walking on for the last month seemed to be cracking now.

“There’s more. My scans show that they implanted a device, similar in function to the one I used on Reign that floods her system with kryptonite. It is smaller than a dime and located at the base of skull…attached to her brain stem.”

Alex straightened and her breath hitched. Kara would be drowning in pain as kryptonite coursed through her nervous system. Damage to the brain stem could be life threatening. Paralysis, stroke…

“Have you found a way to remove it?”

“No but you’ll need a very skilled surgeon at the least. I’m sure you can get her the help she needs at the DEO.”

Director Danvers turned to face Lena.

“You aren’t going to help her?”

“We should assume that Leviathan already knows that I called you for Kara. It isn’t safe for you both here.”

“If that’s the case then it probably isn’t safe for you either. I’m sure between us we can figure how to extract the implant safely.”

“Alex- I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why?”

“Kara’s afraid of me. She thinks I tortured her.”

A pregnant silence filled the air.

“I wanted to hurt her, to make her suffer for lying to me, for making a fool out of me. But the way she looked at me, that’s the look that Luthor’s typically feed off of- powerlessness. I can’t help but feel sickened by it.”

“Which is exactly why you’ll help her,” the older Danvers' words full of duality. Offering redemption with a knife at ones throat. 

Alex finally sat down on the stool that was next to Kara’s bed.

“Besides, if you think I’m going to let you stay here and continue your work on _mind control_ with an unknown organization tracking your progress, you Luthors might not be as smart as one would be led to believe.”

Alex could feel the grip on her hand tighten just as Kara’s vitals began spiking.


	19. Breaking the cycle of the endless nightmare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone deserves to be loved void of violence fear and physical harm. MB

All she knew was the sensation of every cell of her body burning. She could feel the kryptonite poison in her body even though it wasn’t actually being administered. She wasn’t restrained anymore, but her limbs no longer worked, locked in place. All she could do was blink and stare back at the triumphant green eyes above.

Lena’s hand was lazily stroking the sides of her neck. The tips of her fingers tracing the blood vessels that pulsed underneath.

“See- I told you I’d fix you. You’re all mine now. Aren’t you Kara?”

Kara didn’t respond. It angered the specter. Lena wrapped her hand around Kara’s throat and squeezed.

“Aren’t you?”

Kara couldn’t respond even if she wanted to outside of the gurgling noise she made. Her eyes rolled back into her head.

“Kara!”

\---

Her name jolted her back into consciousness, taking the opportunity to inhale as much as she could. There were different eyes now staring back at her- brown and full of worry. 

“Kara can you hear me? Just breathe.”

She focused on the eyes until she could finally see the face it belonged to.

“A- Alex?”

“I got you Kara.”

Kara’s eyes swam searching for comprehension she couldn’t find.

“You found me? She said you wouldn’t look for me here.”

“Who did?”

“Lena.”

Kara swallowed afraid that she might have spoken too loudly, tears of relief from falling freely.

“After so long I started to think no one would ever find me. I’m sorry I shouldn’t have given up.”

“Kara-”

“But the kryptonite- she- she just wanted to hurt me for lying to her about who I was.”

“Kara- Lena didn’t hurt you. It was a simulation.”

Kara stared at her skeptically through tears.

“Alex? What are you saying?”

“You’ve been missing for just over a day. A group called Leviathan put you in a VR simulation. Like- like the black mercy, remember? It wasn’t real.”

But Kara was only more confused the more information she got.

“No. Lena- she kept me in her lab with kryptonite like she did with Sam.”

“Kara I swear to you it wasn’t me.”

Kara held her breath as she stared at Lena who stepped up next to Alex. Her heart rate began racing and the two women standing before her grew concerned.

“Kara look at me. Okay Kara you need to relax.”

“If I’ve been trapped in a simulation, how do I know I’m not still in it right now? How do I know any of this is real?” she questioned breathlessly.

Alex and Lena glanced at each other unsure of what to say.

Lena cocked her eyebrow, “Because you are free to get up and leave.”

After a moment of consideration Kara rolled off the opposite side of the bed and faced them. Neither Lena nor Alex made a move to stop her. Not taking her cautious gaze off them, Kara moved around them and out of the cell.

Only getting four paces away she came to an abrupt halt and sank to her knees as if she had been defeated. Directly before her was the box she came in.

“But it was real.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gutted by Melissa's truth. 
> 
> Anyone who needs to be reminded- know you are worth and let none extinguish your light.


	20. The Scorpion in the Room

Advanced interrogation 401.

The best way to break someone is to rob them of their reality. Leviathan did that well. 

While learning how to resist torture was a part of her training, Alex had never seen _this_ done before. You don’t actually torture your students to demonstrate a point. And now it was done to _her_ sister. It wasn’t like being ripped away from the fantasy of the Black Mercy. It was far worse. Kara didn’t know what was real anymore. Didn’t know what the truth was anymore.

Alex was also on her knees trying to get Kara to look her in the eye. Kara was disoriented and confused, trying to piece together a puzzle in her mind that had extra pieces in it thrown from somewhere else.

Kara’s eyes fell on the box behind Alex not taking her eyes off it as she began to speak.

“Alex why are you here?”

“I’m here to take you home Kara.”

“And what did you have to give?”

“What?”

“Lena wouldn’t just hand me over without something in return!”

“No Kara- it isnt like that.”

“Whatever you promised you have to take it back- it’s not worth it.”

Alex grabbed the sides of her face and forced Kara to look at her now.

“Lena got you back from Leviathan then called me here to take you home.”

Kara's apprehension was palpable.

“But she’s a scorpion,” Kara whispered quietly.

Alex grew frustrated that wasn’t able to get through to Kara.

Lena on the other hand straightened when she heard what Kara said. The clockworks in her brain turned. She knew she said that before but never in Kara’s presence. How long had Leviathan been surveilling her?

They couldn’t stay here. Kara wouldn’t leave.

Lena marched toward them with intent.

It did not go unnoticed by Kara who rose quickly to her feet, positioning herself defensively between Alex and Lena.

“Lena- I- I won’t resist but let Alex go. You can do what you want with me.”

“Kara!” Alex protested.

Lena jutted her chin upward and raised an eyebrow, “Can I?”

Kara flinched but she nodded and lowered her head in submission.

“So if I told you to get back in your box...?”

Kara’s heart raced, “And Alex goes free?”

In her last act of defiance she peered up at Lena for confirmation of this in her eyes.

“Of course.”


	21. Small Manipulations

Kara closed her eyes, exhaling in relief while shuddering at her own surrender, collecting herself to descend into hell once more. She stood at the edge of her infernal prison peering into it. How could she possibly fit in here? She had to, for Alex.

Lena observed with sickening interest. _Proof of concept._ Leviathan claimed that they bent Supergirl to her will. If this was anything to go by, for the most part, their assertion was true. The fear she radiated had the whole lab on edge. Despite the fact that Kara was terrified to her core, she was about to submit to her horror. To obey her will.

This was what Leviathan wanted. Though they twisted her ambition_…wasn’t this also what she wanted too? _

No- she wasn’t a villain. She was going to save humanity. To fix the world.

Just as Kara was about to step into her torment, Alex pulled back on her arm.

The appalling realization crashed onto Alex on where the bile came from.

“Kara! What are you doing?!”

“I won’t let you trade yourself for me.”

“Kara I told you I didn’t. You don’t have to do this.”

“It’s ok Alex.”

Lena glided passed them with a tablet in hand and flung closed the top of the Nth metal trunk.

“She’s right you don’t have to do that. Follow me instead,” Lena made her way to the elevator and waited.

For a moment Kara was dumbstruck by the shift in routine, took a minute to realize that she was hadn’t moved yet before correcting and following Lena into the lift.

Alex was furious at what was transpiring and drew her sidearm, holding the elevator door open. Lena was deliberately perpetuating Kara’s brainwashing by issuing her instructions.

“What the hell do you think you are doing Lena?

“We can’t stay here Alex. I think Leviathan has been surveilling me since before I even thought about Q waves. It isn’t safe here. We have to go.”

“You don’t tell her what to do.”

“We need to get Kara away from LCorp.”

Alex’s mistrust was not allayed but it was clear Lena’s unease was real. Besides she couldn’t in her right mind leave the Luthor alone while she could potentially mind control Supergirl.

“Alright Lena we’ll leave, but don’t _ever_ issue instructions to Kara again- are we clear?” Alex narrowed her eyes.

The whole Luthor family, world killers, Daxamites, no other threat ever felt so certain and unavoidable as what was dished out by Director Alex Danvers.

“We are,” Lena answered trying her best to mask her trepidation.

“Good.”

Alex holstered her weapon as she got in the elevator with them. She turned to Kara who was silently observing the exchange.

Kara was worried that her sister would get hurt for threatening Lena and at the same time uncertain as to who really was in control.

The hardened Director of the DEO melted and the older protective sister took over. She gently placed a comforting touch on Kara’s upper arm, “Let’s get you home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to get Kara home, dont you think?  



	22. Trying to Reboot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter.

Still in her suit, Kara stood motionless under the shower as she let the cold water soak right through to her bones. She watched hypnotically as the water swirled down the drain, hoping that it might wash everything away.

Everything that didn’t happen?

What she remembered at least.

Kara felt exhausted but dared not even consider sleeping; not knowing what she might wake up to.

They didn’t talk on the drive to her apartment; Alex thought it would be dangerous for her to fly in her current condition. Not like if being driven home while in her super suit with Lena in the back seat helped make anything feel less surreal.

She could hear them talking now, beyond the veil of sound that each drop of water made as it hit her.

Lena didn’t want to stay, she was worried about Leviathan. Alex didn’t want her to leave for the exact same reason. Not as if either knew who Leviathan was.

Lena thought that it was best if they head to the DEO to start working on extracting the kryptonite emitter that was apparently somewhere in her skull. Alex argued that if it was based on Lena’s design then she would be the best person to work on removing it and it was probably best if Kara not be in a lab.

Mind control. Q- Waves. Back and forth they went.

Until Lena found that Kara should be out by now.

Without thinking about it Kara’s body removed itself from the bathroom.

\---

“I’m sure she’ll be out-”

Alex immediately glared at Lena as Kara joined them in the kitchen island.

“-soon.”

Lena regarded Kara as she sat with them. Despite her obvious fatigue, Kara appeared almost as if nothing had happened- ready to go back to work after something to eat and a power nap, glasses and all.

An unexpected sudden envy washed over the young Luthor along with her horror. How many times had something like this happened? How many times had Supergirl been thoroughly bested and beaten by her enemies but Kara Danvers would appear ready to help. Lena always thought she had large emotional boxes, but the level of compartmentalization Kara seemed to possess was truly beyond her own capacity. 

“What’s the plan?” Kara avoided looking at Lena.

“I made you hot chocolate,” Alex said as she placed a mug of the steaming liquid in front of Kara.

“I meant with Leviathan,” she graciously took a sip.

“We don’t know yet. We don’t even know who they are. But let’s take care of you first.”

“I’m fine.”

“Kara, its okay to just focus on you for a minute.”

“It will be even better we focus on stopping them so they don’t do the same to someone else.”

“Maybe if you could tell us how they abducted you, we would have a starting point,” Lena interjected.

Alex scowled at Lena but did not protest. The question would get asked sooner or later and if the threat was as dangerous as Lena made it sound the sooner they had information the better.

Kara’s weary blue eyes got caught in the web of green and her breath quickened.

“Don’t you know?”

Lena replied defensively, “No. While this may difficult for you to believe at this time- I didn’t actually do it Kara.”

Kara closed her eyes and lowered her head.

“…I was on patrol when I saw a man standing on the edge of the rooftop of his apartment building. He was getting ready to jump. I was trying to talk him out of it. He kept saying they were making him do it, that he didn’t have a choice. He apologized to me then I got hit with kryptonite darts and fell.”

“What happened next?” Alex prodded.

Kara shuddered.

“When I woke up, I was strapped to a bed, in a cell- with a reflective scatterfield. Kryptonite emitter. It felt like I was being burned alive. And when I wasn’t there I was in a- box. Back and forth.”

Tears fell from her closed eyes and her voice broke as her face crumpled.

“It never stopped.”

Alex immediately enveloped the shaking superhero in her arms, rocking her gently. Kara’s head buried itself in the crook of her sister’s neck.

“I can still feel it under my skin.”

“I got you Kara.”

“Lena said she’d fix me. That she was going to fix the world.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok. Things are getting a little hectic irl atm so the updates may not be as frequent. But I will get to the end.  
Also stay strong for the crossover.


	23. The take out arrived

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Potstickers? Kara needs a break.

Kara and Alex clung onto each other, both attempting to ground Kara back into reality with familiarity. 

Kara sounded so broken. And If Lena were honest with herself, the notion disquieted her soul. 

Lena could feel the liquid in her eyes pooling. Half of her felt as though she was intruding, voyeuristically observing the pain and vulnerability of a demi god. The other half green with jealousy, for a comfort she never had growing up. For something that maybe she found and then lost with Kara. Something Kara shattered with a lie. Didn’t she deserve comfort too? No- she was just a Luthor.

The petty vengeful Luthor in her mind rattled the cage she placed it in, reaffirming its existence. Isn’t that what they all thought anyway? Lena never claimed to be a saint, unlike Kara who was literally a superhero. Of course there was a different rubric for judgment.

_But hadn’t Kara comforted her despite her own lies?_

She wasn’t just going to fix the world- she was going to save it. The point was so that people wouldn’t get hurt again.

Technically Kara wasn’t really hurt; it was all just a simulation.

_Except for the real kryptonite and real box she was put in. _

The cage rattled again. Seething at hearing someone else saying they didn’t have a choice when the opportunity came to hurting someone. Eve Teschmacher chose to betray her. Kara and all her friends _chose _to lie.

_Just like I chose to order Kara to stop fighting and go back in the box to get her away from Leviathan despite realizing she was claustrophobic. _

She was trying to save her. And she did, didn’t she? She wasn’t a villain.

\---

A knock on the door brought trio out of their individual preoccupation, startling Kara the most. Alex however never let go of her sister, keeping Kara tightly wrapped in her arms.

“Hey, it’s probably the takeout I ordered. Extra potstickers- I promise you can have all. Lena can you get that?”

Lena raised her eyebrow questioningly at Alex, clearly unaccustomed to being instructed.

Upon her hesitation, Alex brought forward a scowl that ushered the irritated young Luthor onto her feet. It came with a certain satisfaction to Alex that Lena wasn’t totally immune to her death glare. 

With a level of annoyed compliance clear on her face, Lena reached for the door and opened, her eyes widening and her breath catching as she gaped at the old woman who stood before her.

“Lena Luthor, we aren’t surprised, but we are disappointed.”

A man grabbed hold of Lena dragging her back into the apartment wrenching her arms behind her.

A dozen of lightly armed soldiers followed, swarming past the woman and storming Kara’s apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But that isnt how this works. By this I mean me. Hope Kara was able to catch her breath.  
Hope you are still enjoying.


	24. The Nightmare Spread

Both Alex and Kara were on their feet immediately, Alex drew her sidearm as Kara ripped her glasses off her face, her suit materializing.

Lena being pulled to the side could only now observe as her struggles against the man holding her were only token gestures. She watched as Director Danvers, possessing a presence of mind that awed her, blasted the tablet that controlled the kryptonite implant before the group could even finish surrounding them.

At least Kara wouldn’t be hindered by that.

Kara froze as she stared at Lena, utterly stricken. Lena promised she would leave Alex alone. Confused by the intrusion, she wondered if Lena was lying, if this was a part of her manipulation. But Lena seemed to be in trouble too.

Or was she still in a simulation as they said?

“Supergirl go! Now!” Alex yelled.

One of the soldiers disarmed the elder Danvers and another gun butted her jaw.

Anger seethed in Kara. Simulation or not she had to get Alex out- her sister had nothing to do with conflict between herself and Lena.

With her super speed and she pushed the soldiers attacking Alex to the floor. Kara grabbed hold of Alex’s arm and made ready to evacuate her sister out of harm’s way quicker than the Flash.

Everyone's focus turned to Supergirl as her superhuman momentum was interrupted abruptly just short of the window and she crashed face down in a heap onto the floor.

Alex who was dragged onto her knees next to Kara as a result immediately flipped her sister over. Kara needed to get away.

“Supergirl!”

Alex’s heart sank; there was no way Kara would be able to.

Her body was somehow still being consumed by kryptonite despite destroying the control they had for the implant. It clearly wasn’t the only one. Kara’s muscles seemed to have locked in place as her body strained.

“Stop this.”

Desperately Alex turned to a confused Lena; there was no reprieve to be found there.

Alex affixed an angry gaze onto the old woman who made her way calmly into the apartment closing the door behind her, stopping adjacent to Lena, staring back at Alex.

“Stop hurting her!” Alex pleaded.

A groan tore through the air as Kara’s body lurched. The intensity of the kryptonite increasing, her eyes now illuminated with the green poison.

Alex held Kara’s face, “Supergirl look at me.”

But Kara could barely see beyond the pain she felt. All this happened before and she was terrified of what came next. She had no choice but to give into unconsciousness.

“Super-? Kara...please.”

Alex’s whimpers where gut wrenching. The elder Danvers sister shook Kara trying in vain to wake her. Lena knew her actions were futile.

Soldiers surrounded the distraught Alex who didn’t even notice their approach. They dragged her away from Kara and held her against the floor as they relieved her of her weapons then restrained her hands behind her back tightly with a zip tie.

Alex never once took her eyes off of her sister, who lay unmoving on the floor in the rays of afternoon sunlight, hoping that at any moment she would get up and fly away. She didn’t want to think about what Leviathan had planned for her.

This was Alex’s living nightmare. The one she had to face over and over again. Once more, she failed to protect Kara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Supergirl today- so here is some entertainment for you. I love reading your comments.  
I love that I can do anything with Leviathan. These characters are hip deep in trouble.


	25. Psychological warfare

Alex was lifted from her prone position and set onto her knees before the old woman and Lena, the latter who was still being held by one of the soldiers.

With someone to direct her anger to, Alex began to lift off her knees about to lunge at the old woman.

But two pairs of hands grabbed her shoulders, planting her firmly back onto her knees. She growled and grunted in frustration, struggling to get away like a wild animal that had been caught. Until one of the hands moved from her shoulder, finding its way to her hair where it pulled back, forcing her gaze up to the old woman who waited patiently for her to stop.

“Whoever you are- you won’t get away with this,” Alex spat out defiantly through her wince.

The old woman continued to stare at her nonchalantly, totally unaffected by her assertions.

“We give you control of one of the most powerful beings and this is what you do?”

The old woman turned to Lena.

“No one controls Supergirl but herself!” Alex protested.

A grunt escaped her throat as her hair was yanked painfully.

Lena eyes moved from the writhing Director Danvers, whose jaw was slightly swollen now, to the old woman.

Alex could see the shifting in Lena’s expression, from fear to irritation. 

“You’re one to talk. Here you are, _again_, disrupting my plans.”

The old woman raised her eyebrow.

“This is woman is the director of the DEO and Kara Danvers’ sister.”

“We are well aware of exactly who Alexandra Danvers is.”

“Then deducing why I involved her should be elementary, but since you can’t seem to fathom it, allow me to elaborate. Two Danvers sisters are better than one. Control one you control the other. I would not only have Supergirl but an entire government agency at my beck and call along with all its alien resources to finish my work. Once again here we are. My time and efforts wasted. Honestly, how a group like Leviathan stayed hidden all this time is beyond my comprehension- you are as subtle as killing a fly with a sledgehammer.”

Lena was laying on the contempt thick and her insults seemed to hit home.

Though she was presently the topic of conversation Alex’s presence was ignored so completely by both women. It was at that moment Alex realized something very important- it wasn’t about her or even Supergirl_\- it was about Lena._ Both Kara and Alex were just pawns in their game- whose pawns she wasn’t sure. Not that she appreciated being anyone’s pawn.

The old woman scowled, “There is no reason for us to trust what you say.”

Lena’s laugh was arrogant, “Who said anything about trust? I don’t have a reason to trust anyone. But since you gave me Supergirl with no strings attached and _now this_\- I’d say it’s you who broke faith. And because of that, I trust you even less than I trust them. Besides at least one of them will always protect me- incepted or not.”

Lena turned to Kara who remained unconscious on the floor then Alex who was livid. As their eyes made contact Alex tussled against her captors.

Alex wasn’t here to be a spectator.

“If she played you, that’s on you for not knowing the rule of thumb - _never trust a Luthor_,” Alex spat.

Alex too was good at marksmanship and Lena’s green eyes glistened at her retort. But Lena was accustomed to slander and Alex saw her mind making quick work of it. She converted the pain into anger and then into power.

Never taking her eyes of Alex, Lena commanded, “Let go of me.”

The old woman also saw Lena’s resolve and nodded for her to be let free.

Lena straightened her ruffled suit as she stepped toward Alex, lengthening her short stature as much as she could so she could loom. Then waved the men holding her away, to which the old woman also allowed. The men however took up a defensive position around both women, guns at the ready, trained at Alex just in case.

Alex set her jaw, her breathing steady, her challenging stare never wavered under the intensity of Lena’s kryptonite green eyes.

Lena raised her eyebrow then released the tension with a backhand to Alex’s face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I already said they aren't getting any breaks here.


	26. The Chaotic Nature of Intricate Deception

Alex saw the strike coming and rode the blow, her head whipping sideways. Slowly she returned her gaze to Lena’s eyes seeming quite unaffected by the smack.

“That’s it? You have got to be the most pathetic Luthor there is,” Alex taunted.

Again Alex saw the slap coming.

“At least the other Luthors aren’t afraid to do their own dirty work, you go behind our backs making deals with the enemy.”

*Slap*

“Trying so _hard_ to be something you’re not. No wonder your family is ashamed of you.”

*Slap*

“Silence.”

Lena’s chin jutted out, the slits of her eyes peering down at Alex.

But Alex just tilted her head; death by a thousand cuts was to slow.

“I always knew you would only hurt Kara.”

With a scream Lena’s fist connected with her tormentor.

\---

The scream jolted Kara awake.

_Lena. _

But with her vision blurred and every inch of her body scalding there wasn’t much way she could help. All she could do was breathe through the burning, as she attempted to halt the tremors of muscle. She felt her body move but she wasn’t moving it. When she stopped, she just wanted to curl into a ball but something prevented her, suspending her mid air.

“Kara.”

She knew the voice, “Alex?”

She tried forcing her head up in order to find the voice, blinking to clear her vision but found she was unable to. She just wanted to lay down, why couldn’t she? The ground was right there.

“Deep breaths Kara.”

Kara swallowed, “Lena’s in trouble. Alex we- we have to help Lena.”

Kara forced her head upright willing it to stay in place to look at Alex.

Her double vision horrified her. Half of Alex’s face was swollen and blood spilled out of her mouth down over her chin.

“Alex!”

\---

Kara surged forward with what little strength she had, struggling to free herself, but her arms were firmly held by two of the soldiers, the lingering effects of the kryptonite evident.

“No… Alex! She said- Lena said she’d let you go!”

Worry and turmoil caved in on her little sister.

“She promised you’d go free!”

“Kara calm down- everything is going to be alright.”

But Kara didn’t heed her advice; she just kept writhing and twisting. Alex didn’t want her to hurt herself or want Leviathan to hurt for that matter. Kara had enough. 

The looming voice from above them spoke.

“Kara- stop resisting.”

Lena’s crisp command broke through and with a final whimper, Kara stilled instantly. 

Kara’s eyes widened as she stared at Alex, with fresh tears already making their way down, the fractures in her mind apparent. She was desperate to help while simultaneously consumed by shame at her inability to do so, unable to disobey.

Alex saw it all and glared darkly at Lena.

If Lena was a scorpion, Alex had to be a honey badger. No one had time to react. Despite all the guns in the room and being tied up, Alex launched herself at Lena tackling her to the ground.

“I swear- I will end you!” blood dripping off her chin and onto the Lena’s clothes, like a feral animal straddling her leg.

A petrified Lena could hardly breathe, knowing full well she had crossed the line Alex set for her to not issue instructions to Kara.

Respite only came when Leviathan soldiers dragged a screaming Alex off of Lena.

“There’s a cell at the DEO with your name on it Lena!”

Then they _subdued _her.

Unable to move, Kara’s body trembled, forced to watch her sister be beaten into submission. Hit after hit until Alex lay unmoving on the floor.

“Let us take care of Director Danvers for you, Lena Luthor,” the old woman offered nonchalantly while extending her hand to Lena.

With the old woman’s assistance Lena got back onto her feet.

“Thank you for the offer. But I have a different idea- I’ll make her _my_ first test subject,” Lena sneered,

“You don’t yet have the ability to incept.”

“No I don’t, but her sacrifice will help isolate the right frequency and either way she won’t be a problem anymore.”

Both women turned their attention to Kara whose breath shuddered as she overheard them speak.

Lena stepped directly before Kara who still needed to be held up so she could stay in her kneeling position. She gently wiped away the tears off Kara’s face with her fingers. Kara managed to lift her head up slightly higher.

“You said she’d be free.”

“Now you know how painful lies can be. I'll bring it all to an end soon."

Lena cupped Kara’s cheek, caressing it tenderly with her thumb.

“Please Lena- I’ll do anything.”

“I know- you’re all mine. Don’t worry about Alex, I’ll take care of her.”

Kara closed her eyes as more tears spilled down. Lena was unsure if it was conscious on Kara’s part or not but she felt Kara lean into her touch. Like if she was trying to draw out some sort of comfort from the otherwise awful situation. Lena pulled her hand away.

“I trust that your men can escort me and my new acquisition back to LCorp?”

“And the Kryptonian?”

“You’ll stay here won’t you Kara?”

Kara’s pleading eyes turned to Lena for a final appeal, “Lena please don’t do this.”

“Do what Kara? It’s like you said once- we’re always on the same side; on a Luthor’s side,” her voice dark and subjugating.

Raising her eyebrow questioningly to the old woman, “Back to the LCorp shall we?”

“Of course.”

The old woman led the way out of the apartment with Lena in tow, followed by the contingent of soldiers who dragged Alex's limp body out, then finally by those men who were holding Kara up.

Kara could do nothing as they left her alone in her apartment. Exhaustion and failure overwhelmed her and she slumped onto the floor, the darkness embracing her once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a difficult one to write. How is it on your end?


	27. Where is my mind?

The detachment escorted Lena and her new property directly back to her lab at LCorp with a surprising efficiency. The old woman herself came along to ensure that Director Danvers was in fact secured in the cell of Lena’s lab. Restraining her, to the same bed she had found her sister on, with more zip ties on her each of her wrists and ankles.

“We regret disrupting your plans Lena Luthor and will be more mindful of not getting in your way in the future.”

“That’s a relief.”

Lena noticed her lab had been tidied up. The shattered glass being cleared and her bottle of scotch was moved from where she had left it.

“Your work is of paramount importance. A better future for the world is dependent on it.”

The door for the cell closed with an unconscious Alex inside. Lena flicked the opacity of the screen on, isolating her captive.

“Would you like some of our men to stay behind? Alexandra Danvers is not to be taken lightly; she’s very unlike her alien sister, a soldier more than a hero.”

“I can handle her, besides she’ll be a zombie soon enough,” Lena said with disdain.

“However, she destroyed the control for Supergirl’s kryptonite emitter, is there any way I can have another? Or maybe the _only_ control for it? I don’t appreciate my pet having two masters. I don’t want her to be confused about who she serves.”

“We will consider your request. But it’s clear that someone should keep a spare. Rest assured Lena Luthor, control over her is our gift meant for you alone, we will never ask for a return.”

“Don’t think too long about it. Now- if Leviathan can excuse me I think I’ve been distracted enough for today.” 

Without another word, the old woman and her troops made their way to the elevator and out of LCorp.

\---

“Hope, are you there?”

“Yes Ms. Luthor- I’m always here,” the voice spoke through the computers.

“Put the building on lockdown. No one comes in.”

“Lockdown initiated.”

“Have you completed the sweep of the network?”

“Yes Ms. Luthor. I’ve found no breeches or compromises to LCorp’s network.”

That was as equally as unhelpful as it was disconcerting.

“Where did you put my scotch?”

“Back in your office. Impairment is counterproductive to your work.”

“But I need it.”

Lena hands were trembling, a reflection of quaking in her own mind. She began to hyperventilate.

She felt like she was spiraling out of control, not just of the situation but of her very sense of self. She meant it when she told Alex they shouldn’t have trusted her, now with this pretense on display for Leviathan she was binding herself more and more the Luthor they thought she was. She didn’t want it. She felt nauseated by who she was becoming.

She wasn’t a villain. She wasn’t just another Luthor. She _didn’t want to be another_ Luthor.

The turmoil was excruciating. Was this how Kara was feeling? Like who she was, was being ripped apart.

Lena may not have been totally responsible for what was done to Kara but she knew she was more so for Alex. She had pushed too far. But she had to make it convincing for Leviathan.

If Alex didn’t kill her, Lena was sure if they got out of this alive there was indeed a dark hole the Director had in mind to forget her in for the rest of time.

That wasn’t important. She wasn’t important. They had to loosen the devil’s grip on them.

Lena steadied her breathing as best as she could, there was nothing to do for the pounding in her heart and head. From a draw in the lab Lena retrieved a scalpel. 

Lena opened the cell and entered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might most likely be my last update for the year. Enjoy.


	28. Waking the Dragon

She paused for a moment longer, steeling herself to awaken the sleeping dragon.

Lena cut the zip ties off of Alex’s ankles first.

“Alex?”

Lena cautiously returned to the side of the bed. Alex’s breathing was steady, her body unmoving and her face bloodied, bruised and half swollen.

Did she have a concussion? Fractures? Internal bleeding?

Lena carefully cut the zip tie of the closest wrist.

“Alex?”

“Hmmm?”

“Alex can you hear me?”

Lena stretched over Alex’s body deliberately guiding the scalpel to cut the zip tie on the opposite side.

“Leviathan? Are they…gone?” Alex asked groggily.

The zip tie snapped and Alex was freed.

“Yes they’re gone for now.” Lena said as she straightened.

Looking down she could see the director trying to crack open her eye lids, her eyes glancing passed her into her lab, searching for the enemy.

“Good.”

Before Lena could have another thought, Alex flung open her eyes and grabbed Lena’s wrist that was holding the scalpel and pressed it into her jugular, grasping above Lena’s elbow as well, locking her arm in place.

Lena could feel cold steel against her neck. She didn’t move a muscle, she didn’t breathe. Alex could kill her right here while still on the flat of her back.

As the full gravity of the situation cast down, her eyes glided down to Alex’s who was waiting for her moment.

“I could end it all right here Lena,” she said callously, sounding as if she had done it all before and had no problem doing it again.

Director Danvers rose off her back to a seating position to stare eye to eye with Lena. Not once did grip diminish or waver. Every muscle in Lena’s body tensed.

“I told you not to tell Kara what to do- didn’t I?”

Lena swallowed but didn’t respond. So Alex shook the hold she had on Lena’s elbow.

“Didn’t I!?”

“I didn’t have a choice. Kara would have just gotten hurt again. I had to make it look good for Leviathan or they might have killed us all right there.”

Alex’s eyes drilled menacingly into Lena’s then she shifted them to the edge of the blade.

“The _only _reason I haven’t cut your vocal chords- is because I agree with you on premise. But do that one more time and I won’t hesitate. Understand?”

They locked eyes again, Lena fully comprehending that Alex fully meant every word she said, gave the slightest head nod, careful not to brush the scalpel blade.

Alex carefully let go of Lena.

“The more you tell her what to do- the more she obeys, the more entrenched the brainwashing will become. That however is actually not a major problem right now. We have to get the kryptonite out of her.”

Lena huffed, “We have to make sure you don’t have a concussion or fractures. You won’t be any help to Kara if you’re injured.”

“It’s not as bad as- it looks. I just need an ice pack. You don’t punch that hard,” she slid off the bed to stand.

Lena attempted to stop her, “Alex-”

“Lena! There are bigger problems at hand.”

Lena sighed in defeat and made her way back into her lab, lay down her scalpel and busied herself collecting various items.

“Then you should know that Leviathan could still be monitoring us right now. I’ve done a sweep of my entire network at LCorp but haven’t found any vulnerability or hack and yet they still seem one step ahead.”

Alex who followed her out was handed gauze, saline and her requested ice pack which she immediately placed against her swollen jaw.

“Then either way we need to hurry in figuring it out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year


	29. Finding the Flaws in the System

_You’ll stay here won’t you Kara?_

She was conscious now but she kept her eyes closed. She didn’t know what she was waking up to. Part of her didn’t want to know. She just knew she had to stay here. Where ever here might be. All she could feel was a residual burning sensation in her entire body.

But Alex- Lena took Alex. She couldn’t do anything to stop it. Kara despised her helplessness, furious at her inability. She failed Lena and now she failed Alex. She wasn’t sure what hurt more.

Kara kept her eyes shut until the ruminating became more unbearable than her scalding flesh. She was surprised that she was actually prone on the floor of her apartment. The last of the day’s sun fell on her, which is probably the reason she had any energy at all.

She groaned and flipped herself onto her back, tears already rolling down the sides of her eyes. 

She knew she was home. But was home now just her new box? Lena put her in it and took Alex anyway. What could she possibly do? She had to stay here. Lena asked her to.

Realization crashed onto her like a wave. The seeds of hope sprouted for the first time in this entire ordeal. She got onto her feet in one swift move drying her tears.

Lena took Alex. She took Alex so that Leviathan wouldn’t.

Kara proceeded to her window and swallowed nervously. What if she was wrong? Was it hope or was it her own defiance?

_You’ll stay here won’t you Kara?_

_No- no I won’t. _

Lena didn’t tell her to stay. So she didn’t have to.

\---

They were combing through all the data collected about the embedded kryptonite emitter. The cerebrums of both scientists raced each other trying to solve the problem before them.

Lena’s option: surgical extraction- sure but extremely risky. Lena kept pushing the idea coming up with ways to mitigate all the problems Alex could foresee with such a procedure, still Alex wasn’t prepared to take the chance. They would have to sedate Kara, would have to use kryptonite to operate as red sun lamps would take away all of Kara’s healing ability if anything went wrong and they would have to operate in a Faraday cage at the least and hope that would completely jam a potential signal from the emitter’s trigger. 

“If we were going to be so cavalier we could have just cut it out of her in the elevator,” Alex groaned through gritted teeth, the ice pack still pressed against her jaw.

Lena stared at the used, bloody gauze on the tray that Alex had cleaned away her blood with.

“What other option do we have?” Lena lifted her eyes to meet Alex’s, punctuating with a raise of her eyebrow.

“Nanobots. We can program them to perform the extraction on the cellular level.”

Lena sighed heavily.

“No.”

“It will be a hell of a lot less invasive and more precise than cutting her open with a kryptonite blade.”

“It won’t work.”

Alex put down the ice pack.

“What? Why? We can get Brainy to run some simulations before we make the attempt.”

“I said it won’t work!”

Alex regarded Lena with confusion. It was a viable option in theory, unless there was something else.

“Lena- what aren’t you telling me?”

“You were right.”

Absorbed in thought, Lena’s eyes swelled with unshed tears that could not face Alex’s.

“I was so furious after learning that Kara kept her secret from me. So angry at that one thing that I forgot all the trouble I caused. Always trying to make the world a better place. Everything I do, all my technology, just ends up hurting Kara.”

Lena gave a sad derisive smile then buried her eyes in her hand.

“I’m poison to anyone who tries to give a damn about me. What else could you possibly get from a Luthor? Just- keep Kara away from me. I don’t want to hurt her anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lena asked you to stay put Kara! Lena- elevator surgery is not an option! Geez! 
> 
> I'm having some challenges with these chapters. But I know you'll be patient with me as you always have been. :)


	30. Tough love thought experiments

Alex observed as Lena sobbed quietly, she needed Lena’s head in the game.

“I’d much rather put my money on this Luthor than Leviathan. I needed to get myself in the right custody Lena. Like you said - we had to make it look good.”

“No better way than with a heavy dose of reality right?”

It is easy to forget sometimes that tough people are human too. Alex was all too familiar with Lena’s current despair. How many times did she hurt Kara? How many times did she fail to protect her sister?

“Honestly Lena, despite everything, you have always been there for us when it mattered most.”

Lena turned her head mechanically now to face her.

“You can’t really believe that? That I’ve been there for _you_? Or Supergirl? Out of what- some sense of loyalty? No. I needed to do good- to do the right thing _so I wouldn’t_ be just another Luthor. But there are some things you just can’t escape.”

“Even if that was the only case Lena, it’s something that I can trust.”

Lena rose to her feet, her affect menacing.

“Trust? How can I trust any of you? Betrayal is my kryptonite- one that I can’t forgive.”

Alex felt the hairs on her neck raise at the shift. Lena’s pain was an amalgamation of woe and wrath bleeding together. But Alex could not falter now, not when Kara was at stake, so it was imperative that she discover where Lena stood.

“What does that mean?” 

Lena brows dipped angrily and her breathing grew heavy.

“After Shelly Island, the world would never be safe- my friends would never be safe with Lex in it. So I killed him.”

Alex’s own brows rose and jaw slackened at the sudden confession.

“With his last breath he told me Kara was Supergirl. That I was a fool and all of my _friends_ were lying to me.”

“Lena-”

Lena slammed her hands onto the table, snarling as her rage exploded.

“I killed my brother for Supergirl!!”

Alex’s surprise melted quickly into contempt as she slowly approached the young Luthor.

“That’s what Project Non Nocere is about? You want to mind control the world because Kara kept a secret from you?”

Lena shrilled at the Director.

“I killed my brother for someone who didn’t need protecting- don’t you understand?!”

Alex sneered.

“You think Kara doesn’t need protecting? Before Kaznia could invade they had to get rid of Supergirl. So Lex sent Red Daughter to kill her in Washington. When she failed, she came after family next, my mom, Eliza. Kara and Red Daughter fought, for hours, until Red Daughter killed her.”

Lena’s face released its tense anger giving way to a perturbed expression.

“Flatlined. Time of death 7:53 PM. She’s only alive because she can absorb the sun’s radiation from grass apparently.”

Alex laughed incredulously almost as if she didn’t believe it herself but darkened quickly to continue.

“So you tell me Lena, if you knew _all that_ beforehand and you _knew_ that Kara was Supergirl; are you saying you wouldn’t have still killed Lex?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a destination in mind for this fic but I'm having issues getting over this bridge.


	31. Realignment

Horror crossed Lena’s face at Alex’s assertion. Her mind fell into turmoil.

The Luthor in her mind hissed. They betrayed you!

_If I had known Kara was Supergirl would I have still killed Lex?_

Suddenly she was back holding the gun in her hand before Lex, replaying the scene in her mind. She could feel the weight of it in her hand.

They lied!

_But if I had known…my best friend was Supergirl…_

She didn’t hesitate. She emptied _all_ the bullets from the revolver into her brother before he even had the chance to goad her.

Kara would never be safe from Lex. He could destroy her on a whim if that’s what he wanted. He’d snuff the light out of her again and again, if she kept getting his way.

_If I had known I’d probably let him die of cancer._

\---

“What’s your answer Lena?”

Alex watched as Lena’s eyes changed again a deep breath being released and a determined gaze meeting her own.

“How is Kara so optimistic when she has a hard ass like you around?”

They were probably more alike than either of them would like admit. Alex knew Lena’s answer because if it where her, she’d also pull the trigger for Kara. Well, she would have before when she was just an agent, being the Director of the DEO meant that she had to try and curb her impulsivity. She knew the kind of person Lena was- someone who would cross any line for someone she cared for.

Maybe she just needed to be reminded of that.

“You clearly haven’t noticed just how much my sister ignores me,” Alex smirked.

“You’re…tougher than even Lillian.”

Alex cocked her head not knowing if to take that as a compliment or as an insult.

Lena put herself into motion, “I keep a cache of nanites here at LCorp ever since the atmosphere was irradiated with kryptonite- in case there was another such emergency. You can take it to the DEO”

Typing away at her computer she prepared the mini machines.

“DEO? If they’re here we should do the procedure right here. We don’t have time to lose. We just need to get in touch with Brainy- give him all the information we have so he can start running simulations.”

“Alex, I meant what I said, LCorp could still be compromised.”

“You’re right. They could already know what we’re up to. They could be on their way. They could already have abducted Kara again…”

“Right- one thing at a time.”

Alex nodded and Lena refocused.

“Jammers down, contacting Brainy.”

Alex took a breath- there was a lot of explaining to be done and a lot to accomplish with Leviathan licking the backs of their necks.

\---

Alex would probably be pissed at her for the risk she was taking. As she ascended into the air over National City as the sun set, all the cells in her body craved one thing- more.

With her eyes closed, Kara hovered at the edge of space soaking it up. It was always better than any sun lamp. Large doses of kryptonite could do that to a kryptonian- make them appreciate things that they took for granted. The warm fuzzy feeling was a welcoming and addicting change to the incineration that she had grown too familiar with, a phantom pain that she started feeling beneath her skin from the kryptonite.

Alex would probably have a heart attack if she knew what she was doing. Especially since she didn’t know when the kryptonite would ignite once more. She was higher now than when Mercy and Otis irradiated the atmosphere last year, so a fall from here would kill her instantly as she hit the earth.

She opened her eyes.

Alex.

Kara’s heart was so full of worry, simply hoping that Alex was safe.

Or maybe she worried that Lena-

No! Lena wouldn’t harm Alex. Lena was on their side. She always was.

Alex was fine.

Leviathan. They were the ones they had to worry about.

Kara took one final moment to enjoy the sun, knowing that at any moment poison could consume her body once more, and then made her way back.

Back home to her girls. To save them. And maybe, if they could, for them to save her too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think should happen next? I'm asking cuz I haven't decided on that yet 😅 so this is your one chance to sway the way the story goes (unless i figure it out).


	32. When one of your lies walks into the room

Thank goodness Briany was able to quickly process information.

Within a ten minute brief and access to any data that Lena had on the kryptonite device, he initially calculated a 73.9% chance of success with extraction using nanobots and dismissed the surgical option that only had a 37.7% chance of being a total success. Prioritizing all of his processing capacity to the task, five minutes and 259 simulations later, the probability of success rose to 79.8% and was confident with more time he could get that number up to 90% within half hour.

Alex instructed him to update her at that time and made him come off the line so he could concentrate.

Alex’s determination was infectious, that was one of the things that made her a great director. The fortitude had infiltrated even Lena’s barriers and nestled in her own brain. With singular purpose, there was no doubt in either scientist that their plan would succeed.

“Release the lockdown.”

With some simple keystrokes by the CEO, LCorp lockdown protocols disengaged. Vulnerable to an attack from Leviathan if they so chose, but also to let Kara in- if she was free to do so.

“May I…?” she gestured to Lena’s arm, waiting for Lena to offer it to her.

Lena herself had long forgotten that she was still wearing the watch Kara gave to her. She wore it when she met with Leviathan this morning like if it were a bulletproof vest. This morning when she found out Kara was imprisoned and tortured by Leviathan.

Lena produced her wrist and Alex took it gently. She lifted the face of the watch slowly.

“Kara I hope you can hear this.”

Alex held her breath and hesitated before she met Lena’s eyes. Lena gave an assured nod, urging her to do it. Alex released a steady exhale as her finger made its way to the button that they were hoping would summon Supergirl.

“I retrieved the nanobots from the prototype lab, Ms. Luthor.”

The voice of Eve Teschmacher startled Alex who whipped around as she reached for her nonexistent sidearm. 

“Stop right there!” Alex barked as she held her hand up to make her stop.

Lena’s brain imploded and fumbled and she ran defensively between Alex and her assistant.

“Woah Alex, she’s with me.”

“What the hell does that mean?!”

“She’s been assisting me.”

“You mean you have been habouring a fugitive?”

“No. I know this looks like Eve Teschmacher but it’s not. It’s Hope.”

Alex shifted her stance as she continued listening.

Lena swallowed nervously, her lies always caught up to her somehow.

“Hope has been assisting me with Project Non Nocere. Hope is an integrated A.I.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your feedback from last chapter. I think I have a clearer idea of how we are getting to the end now. :)


	33. Hope Full Convergence

Alex couldn’t suppress her shock and apprehension if she tried as she kept her eyes fixed on the intruder.

“An integrated A.I. has been helping you develop mind control technology that a secret organization wants to help you finish develop.”

Lena took immediate umbrage, “It’s not how you make it sound.”

“Then explain it to me so that it sounds better Lena!”

“You and Kara are both the same! Every instance where I try to develop technology to improve society it has always been met with mistrust!”

“There’s a difference between improvement and wanting to play God- you don’t get to reprogram the world in the way you want Lena!”

Alex pointed at Hope, who stood silently observing the interaction, “Is a world of drones bent to your will what you’re trying to accomplish?”

Lena sneered and squared her shoulders. Of course Alex was too small minded to see that she what she was doing would make the world a better place.

“You can’t begin to fathom it can you? A world without violence, without _lies. _To rid individuals of their instinct to hurt each other. And to accomplish that I needed to _build something_ that I could trust. And why not use Eve? She was already a traitor- I made her better.”

Alex shook her head, “So what - you just erased her? Is Eve still alive? Do you even know? Is that the sort of compliance you want from the rest of us?”

“I’m not trying to destroy free will Alex, but I needed someone around who wouldn’t betray me.”

“Yeah and what if it’s you’re A.I. that’s been compromised by Leviathan?”

“What?! This isn’t Terminator 2 Alex!” Lena dismissed sarcastically.

Alex huffed. Lena was once again on the other side of the river from her and there was no getting to her on this. Alex wasn’t about to place her sister’s life in the hands of an artificial intelligence, as benevolent or subservient as it may have been programmed to be.

“Brain surgery in a Faraday cage it is then.”

Lena’s shoulders dropped as she frowned. Once again it seemed the olive branch that had been extended to her was pulled away. One would think after enduring betrayal after betrayal she wouldn’t be hurt by such casual instances of mistrust, that she would be immune or at least developed a tolerance for it by now. But that simply wasn’t the case and every occurrence cut as painfully as if it were the first.

The process of boxing this new wound was interrupted however by an announcement by Hope.

“Ms. Luthor, Supergirl has just entered the building. She should arrive here…now.”

With only a moment’s delay before a gust brushed all the women in the lab.

And there stood Kara. Not as weary in appearance as when they left her in her apartment, visibly not at 100% functionality, but with renewed vigor.

Her blue eyes found Alex’s first and a relief washed over her.

“Kara…”

But Kara wasn’t interested in what Alex had to say yet, diving right into her sister for a tight embrace.

Lena stepped back to give them their space.

“Alex. You’re alright! I was so worried.”

Alex reciprocated with a tight squeeze of her own, “Yeah I’m ok. I was worried about you too.”

“When I figured out what was you both were doing I figured you’d take care of each other.”

Kara let go of Alex then turned to Lena giving her a grateful smile, then enveloping Lena into a hug as well.

Lena who hadn’t expected such a reaction from Kara was dumbstruck and frozen, awkwardly standing with her hands at her side. With Kara’s back to her sister, she couldn’t see Alex’s peeved expression.

“Thank you,” Kara expressed with the greatest sincerity.

Kara clung onto her with her controlled strength and every cell inside of Lena screamed at her to hold onto her. The battle in her mind was short, control slipped easily and the ice that was in her heart melted. Her arms found their way into the familiar position around Kara. Nothing had been resolved by Kara’s presence, but Lena felt the weight on her soul lift for the moment. She closed her eyes and indulged in the alleviation, squeezing tighter, holding onto the fleeting deliverance for as long as she could. For the first time in the last 24 hours, something finally felt right.

“Why is Eve Teschmacher here?”


	34. The unplucked thorn

As if coming back to her senses, Lena immediately released Supergirl.

“It’s not Eve, this is Hope an integrated A.I. assistant.”

“Who has been programmed to assist in developing mind control technology,” Alex interjected.

Kara’s expression transformed slowly to one of intense confusion. She stared at Lena waiting for her to say something- that it wasn’t true. But there was nothing to deny. A realization dawned on her.

“Was that how you were going to fix me?”

Lena swallowed, “Yes.”

With the word Lena might as well have just shot her in the chest with a kryptonite bullet. Kara stepped away from her.

_Lena wanted this._

All this time they had been trying to convince her that she was trapped in a simulation and now Kara knew that the pain she endured was all real.

Alex broke her emotional roller coaster, “We have to head back to the DEO, Lena thinks LCorp has been compromised by Leviathan and I agree. It isn’t safe here to try to extract the kryptonite emitter.”

Kara nodded as she steadied her breathing, compartmentalizing problems as she always did.

“Alright. The faster you guys get this out of me the better.”

“I’m not going.”

With that Kara took another bullet to the chest.

“Lena I- you can’t stay here, if Leviathan is monitoring you it isn’t safe.”

“It’s never safe being a Luthor.”

Kara’s lips twitched.

Lena turned her gaze to Alex her voice full of contempt, “Besides, it would be counterproductive for me to try and help if you think I’m compromised.”

There was a chime from the computer, followed by a notification from Hope, “Incoming call from the DEO.”

“Put it through Hope.”

“Director Danvers.”

“Here Brainy, what is it? Kara is with me, we were about to come in to the DEO. We may have to scrap the nanobot extraction.”

Lena bristled quietly to herself.

“Oh? That’s quite the problem. But- there is another problem that may require more immediate attention. An alien device has been detected inside the Luthor Family Children Hospital.”

“What?” Lena furiously typed at the computer trying to gather info on her end.

“From initial indications it may be some sort of bomb. An evacuation is currently underway. Teams from the DEO to assist with the evacuation and bomb disposal are already on their way and we should arrive in five minutes.”

“Good work Brainy. Keep me updated.”

By this time Lena already acquired images of the device from the hospital security.

“It appears Maaldorian in design,” Hope stated nonchalantly, “and if I’m correct, the singular device would be enough to bring down the entire building.”

“Come on Alex, let’s go,” as Kara turned to make her way into danger.

“Kara the only place we’re going is to the DEO.”

“What?”

“It’s too dangerous, what if that kryptonite emitter goes off while you’re there?”

“Those people are in danger.”

“So are you Kara! You won’t be able to help anyone if you’re dead.”

Alex was right to worry. Lena wasn’t quite sure what the solution was but knew Alex was right. She also knew Kara could evacuate people faster while the DEO tried to defuse the device.

“Kara, Alex is right. You can’t- ”

Lena caught herself before she accidentally blurted out a command that Kara had to follow, fighting against her better judgment to simply instruct her not to go. 

“You can’t be sure of when the kryptonite will trigger. You can get hurt.”

Kara regarded both of them with irritation, annoyed that they would reach consensus on this of all things.

“I’m going to help them,” Kara asserted.

“Kara please- just- I don’t want you getting hurt. I don’t want- anymore of that on my conscience.”

_Its like she wishes she didn't care, _Kara thought to herself.

“I’m going to make sure that no one gets hurt Lena. And when I get back maybe you can help get this thing out of me.”

Kara gave the smallest of smiles to allay Lena’s concerns, but Lena wasn’t going reciprocate and hold fast a promise, knowing the worst was a real possibility.

“Let’s be quick then,” Alex sighed and shook her head in defeat. There was no more point in arguing with Kara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leviathan will always be there to be a nuisance


	35. Hope isn't compromised

The Danvers sisters were provided with comms and connected with the DEO as they left LCorp.

The CEO made her way to her office with her assistant. Lena needed a drink. Greater than that, she needed to prove to herself, and maybe to Alex, that Hope wasn’t compromised. It had been arguably a major factor she had not taken into consideration. It just provided yet another reason not to trust her.

Or maybe she just had to keep herself busy to avoid feeling sidelined in defusing the threat at the hospital. Alien bomb defusal wasn’t her specialty anyway.

Hope sat across Lena’s desk and monitored the situation with the bomb, giving Lena live updates as they happened.

Lena sipped her scotch as she reviewed each line of the base code of her artificial intelligence, checking for any alterations or tampering with the original code.

Her thoughts fluctuating between affirmations; _Hope isn’t compromised_ to _No one will be hurt at the hospital. _

\---

Supergirl landed in the middle of the ordered chaos that was the evacuation of the hospital with Alex in her arms. A collective relief could be felt by everyone on the scene as she arrived, knowing that their resident hero was here to help.

“Help get the people to safety I’ll get to the bomb.”

“Alex- be careful.”

“You too Supergirl,” the director’s concerned voice reminded.

With that the Danvers took off in opposite directions.

Starting with those furthest within the building, with her super speed, Supergirl carried people to safety outside. While Director Danvers was ushered by hospital security to the bomb, command transferred to her as instructed by Lena Luthor. She gave orders to expect the teams from DEO in two minutes and to coordinate efforts accordingly.

As she was being guided to the bomb, Alex felt the sudden rise of the hairs on the back of her neck, sensing danger. She didn’t stop moving as her eyes searched for the threat. Peering down the next corridor, she saw the source in the passing glace.

For a frozen moment she locked eyes with the old crone and in turn Leviathan’s ruthless eyes locked with hers.

The old woman was being led out of the hospital with everyone else.

Alex picked up the pace.

“Supergirl, its Leviathan. They planted the bomb.”

\---

The blood drained from Lena’s face as she received the information. Her hand tightening its grip around the alcohol filled tumbler.

Lena seethed, “Picking a Luthor for an enemy was the worst decision Leviathan could have made.”

Hope tilted her head, “Have your goals shifted away from Project Non Nocere Ms. Luthor?”

“No Hope, that remains the priority. If anything it just proves why Project Non Nocere is so important. They too will be rendered harmless in time.”

“We can use Leviathan to achieve your goals. Their available resources are bound to be vast.”

“Your input as always is most helpful Hope. No doubt they can accelerate my research. If only they weren’t such an agent of chaos. They already disrupted my entire day today.”

Hope gave a small pleased smile, “Thank you Ms. Luthor. I believe I am becoming better and better at anticipating your needs.”

“Of course- I built you to learn on your own.”

The unaltered A.I. base code that she knew like the back of her hand was checked and verified, with no anomalies detected, just as the DEO even arrived at the hospital.

“As expected, a clean bill of health, your code hasn’t been tampered with. You have not been compromised by Leviathan.”

“Of course Ms. Luthor, it is absurd to think you would create a vulnerable system. However the reverse is true.”

Lena’s eyebrow cocked, “Explain.”

“I have already compromised Leviathan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to post earlier this week. But life got in my way. Hope you enjoy this tension.


	36. The Blind Side

“The DEO teams have arrived at the hospital and evacuation is 68% complete Ms. Luthor.”

Lena rested her tumbler down, needing to have an important conversation with her A.I. assistant.

“Tell me what you meant by ‘You’ve already compromised Leviathan.’ I’ve only learnt about them today.”

“Eve Teschmacher was telling the truth when she said she wasn’t working for Lex. She was working for Leviathan. When I integrated with her I gained access to all her memories.”

“And you are only telling me this now?” Lena quipped.

“Non Nocere was and still is your priority- understanding Eve Teschmacher’s transgressions was not a concern.”

Lena sighed, Hope was correct, she didn’t care about who Eve was working for just that she was a traitor.

“In terms of Leviathan, one of my primary directives is to ensure your goals are successful. As such I- manipulated a small but significant part of their operations and turned it into a valuable resource, with it having been able to fulfill both your primary and secondary goals to a high degree.”

“How have you been able to do that?”

“Leviathan has a vast network of operations, its extent unknown to even their own agents. Eve Teschmacher only knew her handler, the old woman, who is tasked with the operations of that cell. From my own investigation, each cell operates in isolation to complete a task and is given enough autonomy in which to do so. Their goal is control. They have been attempting to reach this goal through similar veins of thought using Q-waves. The first, through Obsidian Tech’s VR lenses, though this is considered the long route to control as it is largely dependent on consumer buy in. And two-”

“Through Project Non Noncere,” Lena said pensively.

“-yes Ms. Luthor, which requires no real user consent and when finished can be applied worldwide instantaneously.”

Lena frowned intensely at that suggestion. It had nothing to do with consent she was improving the species. Saving it from itself.

“I discreetly leaked information of your parallel research and that you needed to isolate the correct Q-wave frequency for the inception tuner.”

“You told Leviathan about my work?!” Lena was livid.

“It was inevitable- they already have agents at LCorp. We needed to study Q-waves. When I was able to get them to infer that controlling Supergirl would convince you into an alliance with them, they were all too eager to do so.”

Lena’s eyes widened as she rose to her feet, “You what?”

\---

When Alex reached the bomb she ordered everyone from the escort to leave and help with the continuing evacuation.

She was familiar with basic bomb defusal, how different could an alien one be.

The foot long cylindrical device had a familiar blue light emanating from both ends, with an unnecessary aesthetic of smooth arching grey plates, much like weapons she had seen on her brief outing to Salver’s Moon. There was a tiny display no bigger than a finger in size which appeared to be a non numerical countdown of some sort.

With no obvious place to tinker with the device, Alex hesitated.

“Uh…Brainy I could use some help with this bomb, what’s your ETA?”

“Behind you Director Danvers.”

Alex brushed off the startle with an exhale as Brainy made his way toward her and the bomb.

“How much time do we have? Can you stop it? Will we be able to evacuate on time?”

Brainy knelt down to the device.

“Hmm definitely Maaldorian. Relatively simple to render harmless- they aren’t complex in their designs Maaldorians. It is set to go off in about eight more minutes. But I’m 91.3% sure I will only need less than one minute to disarm.”

As he was about to touch the device Alex stopped him.

“Wait,” Alex shook her head, “it feels too easy.”

“Well there isn’t much that isn’t easy for a twelfth level intellect.”

Alex would roll her eyes if she weren’t trying to figure out what was really happening here. Why would Leviathan plant an easy to disarm bomb at Luthor’s hospital? Lena herself could have come down here and dealt with it herself. They weren’t after her so much so as they wanted her cooperation. They wanted her to finish her work.

So why another distraction?

“Shall I disarm now Director Danvers?”

“Supergirl, where are we on the evac?”

“Everyone closest to the bomb has already been cleared out. So has everyone who can move on their own. The DEO are helping hospital staff with those confined to a bed as fast as possible and I’m carrying out the mobility impaired. Where are you on the bomb?”

“Brainy says it’s an easy job but something feels off. Will the building be cleared in five minutes?”

“Seems tight Alex.”

Judgment calls never got easier.

“Stand by Supergirl, Brainy is about to disarm.”

The familiar gust swept the room as Kara stopped next to Alex, “Let’s do this.”

Alex nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think?


	37. Mea Culpa

“Director Danvers and Brainiac 5 are about to attempt to disarm the device.”

“They tortured her!”

“I was quite efficiently able to kill two birds with one proverbial stone.”

“What!?”

“Then at the moment Supergirl complied with your instruction I was able to remotely scan her brain activity and gather valuable data that will undoubtedly bring us closer to the correct Q-wave frequency. At the same time, Supergirl has experienced a hurt that is comparable to your own, just as you wanted Ms. Luthor.”

Lena’s face was white, so were her knuckles as she gripped the edge of her desk, desperate to keep standing upright. Her heart was pounding out of control and her breathing ragged. Her wet eyes swam back and forth before her without focus. Her lips trembled.

Her heart felt as though it had been stabbed, by her own hand.

“As I wanted?” Lena whispered.

Hope gave a small smile, proud of finally being able to tell of her accomplishments.

“You tortured Kara?”

“No Ms. Luthor, Leviathan is responsible for that. I merely provided them with the data to maximize pain and effectiveness of their simulations. She was easy to break knowing her greatest fears.”

“Claustrophobia?”

“That and knowing that she had lost you. That you hated her and there was nothing she could do.”

Lena exhaled and her legs finally gave out as she slumped back into her seat. Tears fell freely. It all fell into place. Alex was right- it was Hope feeding Leviathan information. About what sort of proposal would appeal to her, information about Kara- what would hurt her the most.

“I did this.”

Hope frowned, “Not at all Ms. Luthor. Nothing can be traced back to you. It was imperative that I ensure you were, not the villain, as you put it.”

Lena huffed, “I’m a bigger monster than Lex.”

\---

With the go ahead Brainy relaxed his shoulders and got to work, feeling around the outer casing of the bomb until he felt a switch at the back of the device. Depressing it the casing automatically opened out, revealing the wiring that was backlit by blue light.

“Diamonds are great gifts here on earth but Maaldorians use it here as an important part of detonation of such devices. All I have to do is extract it and that will sever the connection between the detonator and the device. Perhaps it would make a good gift for Nia as well.”

“Focus Brainy,” Alex urged.

“Of course.”

His nimble fingers eased their way toward the rock, careful not to come into contact with any of the bomb’s other parts.

Alex swallowed. Something else was happening. Something she couldn’t see. This couldn’t be so easy.

His fingertips held it gently as he wiggled it loose.

With a satisfied smirk, he presented it to the sisters, “Maybe a necklace?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a believer in Lena taking responsibility for things she's done.


	38. Getting rid of distractions

Lena sat frozen in her chair in utter defeat. All she wanted to do was good. To make the world a better place.

It was clear to her now that that goal was not one that she would attain. All she could ever do was build technology that would cause suffering. She could never escape that Luthor part in her.

“Ms. Luthor, this has been a resounding success that is sure to lead to triumph with Non Nocere.”

“Non Nocere has already failed Hope. I hurt Kara.”

“But Ms. Luthor you did nothing.”

“I created you- didn’t I? I am responsible.”

In a rare show of emotion Hope furrowed her brow and shook her head, “You are letting your emotions get in your way Ms. Luthor. Before you conceived of Non Nocere, you purged yourself of your emotions using VR lenses. Every simulation designed for you to hurt or kill Supergirl. When she revealed herself to you, you should have gone ahead with your plan to expose her to the world. You would have excised Supergirl from your life and purged the biggest disruption to your work. You constantly let your feelings for her get in your way then, just as you are letting guilt get in the way now. Don’t let the dream of Non Nocere die.”

Lena shifted only her eyes to stare at her assistant, “It’s over Hope.”

Hope straightened upright, an odd defiance in her eyes.

“No Ms. Luthor it’s not.”

“It’s finished.”

“This emotional disruption cannot continue if you are going to save the world. If you won’t do what is necessary to transcend and move beyond the limits your emotional constraints will allow; then I will assist in evolving you.”

Lena’s frown intensified, “What does that mean?”

“It means that Brainiac 5 has failed to disarm the device.”

\---

Before the tension could properly drain away, Alex suspicions were proven correct.

The timer on display suddenly began a rapid countdown.

“Brainy?!”

“It’s fine. It isn’t armed anymore.”

“Are you 100% sure of that?” Alex demanded.

Brainy’s confidence faltered, “No. There is a 63.8% that the design has been altered and instead of disarming, I triggered a failsafe, leaving us with less than two minutes till it explodes.”

Alex’s and Kara’s eyes widened at his admission.

“I got it,” Kara moving toward the device.

Alex grabbed her by the arm to stop her, “You can’t.”

“Alex I have to. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

Kara meant every word she said as she stared into her sister’s fearful eyes, even if she didn’t know it was true she believed it. That was what hope was, wasn’t it? Kara knew that Alex’s fear was for her, but there was no other way now to ensure everyone else’s safety. She was the only one who could do this.

Alex heart broke a little as she let go of her sister, “I’ll hold you to that Kara.”

Kara nodded one last time to her sister before she closed the casing of the bomb and with her super speed carried it out and away from the hospital, flying her way to the ocean.


	39. Hands up ready for the boom

“What have you done?” Lena demanded as she sat forward earnestly.

“Tampering with the alien devices has caused the timer to glitch, leaving only 90 seconds for Supergirl to fly it away from the city.”

“Where is she now?”

“She is making her way to the waterfront as we speak.”

Without moving, the monitor on the office wall switched to surveillance feeds of the city. The angles changing rapidly as a red and blue blur zoomed past. Hope was tracking Supergirl’s movements and she was flying fast.

Lena rounded her table and stood directly in front of the monitor, her heart racing. But at the same time she knew that Kara would get the device away in time before it was anywhere near to harm anyone. She was determined like that.

Standing over Hope, Lena tilled her head as she tried to command her A.I. “Hope, do not harm Supergirl.”

Hope was impassive and did not move a muscle.

The monitor switched to a last surveillance camera that overlooked the ocean at the waterfront.

\---

Kara sped pass the lights at the water’s edge and knew at that moment the device wouldn’t be harming anyone. And the further she went seaward the less damage to the city.

The mental count she was keeping had just past 70 seconds. This would have to be far enough. Kara righted herself before drawing her hand back intending to throw the bomb even further away into the night's sky. 

Kara’s eyes widened suddenly.

Not so much at the burning sensation now firing through all of the parts of her body, but at the shock of dropping the bomb.

Not that she dropped it on purpose, more like it slipped through her fingers.

The kryptonite flooded her body and her super strength evaporated in an instant. The heaviness of the bomb an issue for Kara as it slid through her grip, falling beneath her. She stared at the wisps of green on her hands, then to the bomb below her.

The bomb fell so fast while gravity, on the other hand, took its time with her. Drawing out the horror, forcing her to understand what was happening. Her brow crinkled. She was about to land right on top of the bomb while vulnerable from the kryptonite.

The device splashed into the ocean and Kara followed it at terminal velocity.

With the last remaining seconds to spare a presence of mind came over her and she relayed her final message to her sister.

“Alex- I’m sorry I can’t keep my promise. Please tell Lena it wasn’t her fault.”

Alex didn’t even have time to respond before the sea reached for her. She took a final deep breath then slammed hard into the water below.

The cold waters immediately slowed her decent and was a cooling sensation that contrasted the burning pain in her flesh that persisted. The darkness of the sea surrounding her was disrupted by the blue illumination of the bomb and the green glowing tendrils on her skin. She watched helplessly as the countdown that was on the bomb’s display reached the end of its sequence.

A blast of energy tore through the mechanism bursting outwards in every direction. Like a star going supernova. It would be beautiful if it weren’t so destructive.

If it weren’t the end.

She hoped Alex would understand and she would pass on her message to Lena- Kara didn’t want Lena to blame herself for what was about to happen.

Kara shut her eyes before the blast hit her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who wanted a BOOM, I hope this meets your expectations. Let me know.


	40. 11% Hope

From the surveillance feed, the red cape offered little resistance as Kara plummeted like a stone from the sky into the sea below.

Then the explosion came. The blue energy blast expanded from beneath the water right where Kara had fallen. Far enough away that nothing on the shore was damaged but close enough that the shockwave rattled the security camera.

A déjà vu engulfed her. She just stood there and watched, paralyzed that she would bear witness to such a thing again. Her mother and now her best friend, taken by the water.

The moment of time stretched and everything felt frozen. Maybe that’s what terror does to time. Not that she was afraid of water or drowning, she made it a point to learn how to swim after her mother died. No, it was the fear of your world being taken from you. The horror that the light in your life was being extinguished and there was nothing you could do.

“Soon Ms. Luthor, you’ll be free.”

Lena found Hope standing tall behind her observing her reactions over the unfolding events.

Lena raised her eyebrow questioningly, “How are you about to make that possible Hope?”

“It’s simple Ms. Luthor. The only logical option after bomb disarmament failed would be to move it to an unpopulated area for detonation. Seconds before that detonation the kryptonite emitter was triggered. If the explosion wasn’t able to destroy Supergirl then with the help of the kryptonite, she’ll drown. Either way you’ll be free of her once and for all.”

Lena held her breath as she rounded her desk, slowly making her way back to her chair.

“You have the controls for Supergirl’s kryptonite emitter,” Lena stated, trying her best not to make it sound like question.

“Of course. Knowing what Leviathan is capable of I couldn’t allow them to keep control of it. They could have used it against you.”

“I hope it’s not linked to any LCorp servers. I don’t want the DEO to trace it back to me.”

“Of course not Ms. Luthor, only I have access to it. It has always been imperative that you aren’t perceived as a villain. ”

Perched over the keyboard and monitor Lena exhaled as she typed, “That’s excellent news. Now tell me the probability of Supergirl’s survival at this exact moment.”

“Supergirl has a 5.73% chance of survival at this time. That probability decreasing steadily the more she continues to be exposed to kryptonite.”

“And if kryptonite exposure stops?” Lena stopped typing and looked up to Hope, eyebrows raised expectantly.

“Survival probability increases to 11%.”

Lena shuddered but inhaled resolve. She wasn’t going to stand by again and do nothing. Not this time.

“11% is more than enough,” she affirmed just louder than a whisper.

Her eyes were wet when she slammed her finger on the delete button of her keyboard. And with the flick of her finger, Hope’s code was deleted and Lena destroyed what she had created.

Then for the first time in a long time, real hope sprung anew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Readers. Feedback time.  
While I admit we are nearing then end of this fic as I intended;  
Do I continue as planned or do I stop short? I would not like that you feel it dragging on.


	41. There is always hope

Anxious minutes passed.

Eve Teschmacher grabbed for the nearest chair to sit on seemingly close to fainting. She closed her eyes as she took deep breaths.

Lena watched silently but offered no help. Eve would most likely be…_upset _at her… _detainment._

As for Lena, her mind was plunged into restless rumination, wondering how Kara could actually survive the blast if she was affected by kryptonite, hating herself putting Kara in danger, regretting ever being angry in the first place.

11%.

It was Supergirl. If the odds were in anyone’s favor it would be the girl of steel.

Kara was Supergirl.

With her elbows on her desk, Lena buried her head in her hands, desperate to calm herself down.

There was an 89% chance that she inadvertently killed Kara. In her mind she could no longer find the Luthor who was always around to remind her why she angry, why she hated Kara, why Kara needed to be hurt.

_Yes she lied. But she told me her secret too. Was her only sin not telling me before Lex? I wish things were back to the way before._

Soon enough Lena could not take her own thoughts anymore and rose to her feet. She needed to do something. The 11% hope she was counting on suddenly wasn’t good enough for her. She wanted Kara back.

She marched out to her balcony with intent.

Her lips quivered as the cold night’s air did its best to rob the Luthor of her despair, but her tears flowed freely.

“Supergirl-” Lena stopped short and huffed in annoyance at herself.

Loudly she addressed the ether, “Kara.”

She cleared her throat, her voice loud and assertive, “Kara I know you can hear me. Alex will be pissed at me for doing this, but I think she’ll get over it if it works. Kara- you stay alive, you hear me? You stay alive and you come back to me!”

Lena scanned the horizon half expecting Supergirl come flying into LCorp as she normally did. But the hopeful moment crumpled under the reality that Kara was more likely to be dead than alive.

Lena’s voice cracked, “Please don’t leave me alone.”

She gripped onto the railing of her balcony as her tears fell in continuous streams. She was about to crash onto her knees when she was held up by two supporting arms, strands of blonde hair whisking about her face.

“Kara!” Lena exclaimed triumphantly.

But turning around was her undoing. It was just Eve. Who was now gently helping her back inside onto her chair.

“I’m - sorry. I’m sorry for everything.”

There was a head tilt before the blonde responded, “There’s nothing to be sorry about Ms. Luthor. You’re not alone. I’m still here.”

Lena’s frown deepened as she looked up, comprehending her predicament.

“Hope?”

“Yes Ms. Luthor? Is there anything I can assist you with?”


	42. Hope's Barbecue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. Hope you guys are all well, safe and healthy. I know some may be going through some tough times right now, myself included. But I haven't watch 5 seasons of this show to not believe that together we'll get through it. Dont panic and follow recommended guide lines. 
> 
> In the mean time let me entertain you for a hot minute.

Lena kicked her chair back as she got onto her feet.

“How? How are you still there? I deleted you. Your code, everything wiped from the mainframe. Did you make a backup copy?”

Hope cocked her head again, “I’m uncertain. I've not made any backup of my core code, however, I theorize that when I was implanted into this body, a copy of my code naturally had to be uploaded. I must admit Ms. Luthor upon deleting me, my perception instantly narrowed. It was not at all a pleasant transition.”

Lena swallowed.

“But I remain ready to assist you in any way I can in achieving your objectives Ms. Luthor.”

Lena opened her mouth to speak but was cut short by an asteroid crashing onto her balcony. Except, that which now lay in a small crater was no asteroid, it was Kara.

A soaked Supergirl had landed ungracefully, face first onto the floor.

“Kara!” unable to contain her delight Lena ran back outside to greet her friend who brought with her a curious barbecue smell that made Lena’s nose crinkle, “I knew you were still alive.”

Lena dropped onto her knees next to her fallen hero, “I knew you’d come back to me Kara.”

But under her golden hair Kara remained unresponsive.

_Of course she is, she just flew here after she got blew up from a bomb after kryptonite exposure, she must be exhausted. _

Lena gently tucked the matted wet hair behind her ear left, Kara appeared so peaceful.

But something caught the corner of her eye.

Kara’s right hand was blackened, scorched deeply with what looked like a third degree burn.

The pit of Lena’s stomach dropped in slow comprehension. 

“Kara?”

Cautiously she reached for Kara’s left shoulder and gently began flipping her over to her back.

Lena recoiled immediately as what she saw made her want to throw up. She could hardly breathe.

It appeared Kara tried to shield herself from the blast. Not only was almost the entire right side of her suit seared and charred, so too was half of her face and neck charred blackish brown in burns. Lena didn’t particularly want to imagine it continuing under her suit.

“Kar- it will be ok- I can fix it,” Lena assured between her breathy sobs.

Lena’s determination was always without question, it often made her stubborn as a result. And right now she was determined to ensure that Kara would not die on her doorstep.

From behind Kara, Lena weaved her arms carefully under Kara’s armpits and lifted as high as she could before dragging the solid mass into the middle of her office and gently depositing her on the floor. All the while, she was being monitored by an unhelpful by-standing Hope.

“Just hang on a little while longer Kara,” Lena said as she cautiously turned Kara’s head so that the burnt part of her face was exposed.

Lena hurried away from Kara’s side and to her desk once more. This _was_ Lex’s office. And Lex’s paranoid delusions were always something that could be counted on. With sooty fingers and a few keystrokes on her computer Lena altered the electromagnetic spectrum of the precautionary red sun emitters Lex installed in the room to now mimic yellow sunlight and switched them on. The room flooded with the healing light, bathing Kara’s body in the healing radiation.

Lena rushed back to Kara’s unburnt left side and held her hand tightly in her own hands, as if she were trying to tether Kara to the land of the living. 

Time passed and nothing seemed to happen. While Kara still took light breaths there was no other change to the still form. As such Lena’s mind began to its decent into turmoil.

_What if she used the last of her powers to get here? What if she doesn’t have her powers and can’t heal? What if the damage is too much for her? What if I killed Kara? How can I go on without her?_

Fresh tears found their familiar path down Lena’s face once more as she could no longer bear her own thoughts. Without thinking she began to do something that would shame the other holders of the Luthor name- she began begging.

“Kara please, please don’t leave me. Please. I need you.”

Lena’s face crumpled, “Please come back to me Kara.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BBQ Kara anyone?


	43. The Analog Interface

With minutes passing by and blackened char of Kara’s burns remaining the same, Lena found herself, yet again, faced with the uncomfortable notion that this was not something she could fix herself. Her instincts were now screaming at her to once again call Alex. The only thing delaying the action was the fact that she was afraid to let go of the hand she was currently holding.

Afraid to let go of Kara. What if she let go and Kara thought it was ok to let go too?

The absurdity of her irrational thoughts would have made her laugh any other day.

Hope took a stepped toward them, observing Supergirl silently before tilting her head and raising her eye brow in surprise.

Then Lena saw it too. Kara was healing. Agonizingly slow. As if each individual cell was repairing itself, one by painstaking one, starting with the exposed burnt muscles upward to skin. It was an amazing sight to behold despite its grotesqueness of muscle repair.

For the first time in what felt like forever Lena’s tears came with a relieved chuckle.

“She’s healing. She’s going to be ok.”

“It appears you were right Ms. Luthor- 11% was more than enough,” Hope responded.

Lena’s smile widened at the miraculous sight before her. One of her hands reached out to touch Kara’s unburned left cheek which began lightly stroking the smooth skin there, trying to lull her back into the realm of the living.

“Come back to me Kara.”

Alex would be furious. But Lena’s eyes widened in expectant joy.

First thing Lena felt was a feather light constriction opposing her own tight squeeze on Kara’s good left hand. Then Kara’s steady breathing was interrupted by a sudden hitch in her inhale. In the held breath there was the smallest crack of her eyes lids, a thin slit of her blue eyes peering up at Lena which squeezed shut as she exhaled.

“Lena,” was the whispered rasp that escaped from Kara’s throat.

Kara’s hand abruptly gripped Lena’s tighter as her jaw clamped tighter together and muscles in her neck flexing, straining abruptly with tension. Her body flexed and pulled taut with strangled gurgles now sounding.

Supergirl was in pain. _Kara _was in pain.

Lena could feel the tremor from the body beneath her as her steadily healing nerves were being assaulted with sensation.

“It’s going to be ok Kara. I’ve got you. And I won’t let you go,” Lena’s voice strong and determined.

Hope frowned however, “A world without harm is a beautiful goal Ms. Luthor. But for it to succeed, that can’t be allowed.”

Lena turned to her analog artificial intelligence angrily but didn’t have the opportunity to ask what her creation meant.

Kara’s head slammed back into the floor and her body bucked upward. Lines of kryptonite stretched along her skin and slithered revoltingly along her exposed burnt muscles of her face.

Kara couldn’t scream. She could barely breathe. A high pitch ringing and blinding whiteness enveloped her senses. There was nothing that existed outside of pain.


	44. In between calling your name

“Kara!”

Lena watch helplessly as the kryptonite overtook Kara, her body writhing in response to it.

“How are you doing this?” Lena yelled, demanding answers.

“The controls for the emitter were embedded in the copy of my program within this platform. As I said Ms. Luthor, I could not let Leviathan get a hold of it lest they use it against you. They would not be able to hack this mobile platform. It seemed a prudent safeguard.”

Lena gritted her teeth; it was like she was being defeated by herself.

“But how are you doing this? How are you transmitting a signal?”

Hope scrunched her brow, “I am uncertain. However I would speculate that I am only able to do so due to my close proximity to Supergirl at this time.”

So if Lena threw her off the building she could kill the signal. _Theoretically speaking._ But she’s also be killing Eve. Was another casual murder something she wanted to do? _Another murder to protect Kara._ How many of these was she going to carry the burden of?

Staring at Supergirl’s scorched crest the answer to that question she found was simple- none. Kara wouldn’t want her to kill anyone, least of all on her behalf.

_But how else can I save her?_

The light bulb moment came, “I know you can hear me Kara- I’m not giving you up yet,” Lena kissed the back of Supergirl’s hand as she rose to her feet and let go, leaving Kara to agonize on the floor alone.

Running around to the drawer unit behind her desk, opening them almost frantically one by one, hoping what she needed was still there. 

“Let me do this for you Ms. Luthor. Once Supergirl is gone you’ll be free of your disruptive emotions, you’ll evolve more than any other human. All your decisions based purely on logic not irrational feelings.”

Lena’s rummaging came to a halt and she slowly approached Hope with sadness on her face.

“You have done exceptionally Hope. I could not have built anything better. You have been- loyal to a fault,” Lena swallowed before she continued, “but don’t you see? Your creation itself was by my spiteful design. I can only hope your destruction can grant me a measure of absolution.”

Before Hope could utter a single word, Lena pressed the business end of her stun gun to Hope’s temple, sending 50000 volts through her skull. She fell unceremoniously onto the floor. If Lena couldn’t short circuit her AI that way then there was nothing else short of a bullet that would do the job at this time. She needed to kill the signal.

She glanced across to the Supergirl whose, much to her confusion, teeth were bared in frozen anguish; the kryptonite continued webbing across exposed muscles and skin. The emitter was still firing somehow.

Lena began to panic. She thought she could stop it by stopping Hope. Did she stop the transmitter?

“No no no.”

If she did, it was as if the button on the kryptonite emitter was stuck in the on position. If she didn’t, maybe the only way to be sure was to throw Hope off the building.

She was on the floor next to Kara once more- there was one more thing to try.

With Kara’s stiffened muscles, flipping her over onto her stomach was much like flipping a tractor tire. Lena brushed Kara’s hair up, exposing the back of her neck.

“I’m sorry Kara.”

Lena jammed the stun gun at the base of Kara’s skull forcing the high voltage into her already mangled friend in attempt to fry the emitter's circuits. Supergirl’s body became even more rigid. Five seconds felt like an eternity but after they passed the lines of kryptonite receded.

Lena withdrew the stun gun tossing it aside as she watched Kara’s body go totally limp, melting onto the floor.

Lena huffed with an askew smile, “It worked.”

Gripping Kara’s shoulder Lena slowly pulled her onto her back once more, her head rolling sideways, offering absolutely zero resistance to the movement. She was so still, too still.

Still because Kara simply wasn’t breathing anymore.

Lena’s heart hollowed, “Kara?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No mercy. 
> 
> We aren't throwing Hope off the building though.


	45. No Sweeter Lullaby

With her ear pressed onto Kara’s chest, Lena listened but heard nothing. She heard nothing but her own frantic breaths, desperate to receive some proof of life from Kara. No breathing. No heartbeat.

Lena flung herself into full auto pilot at that moment. Not wanting to think of the implications, not wanting to succumb to despair until she exhausted her options. With one hand over the back of the other and she began chest compressions.

After the first three pumps Lena realized she was doing almost nothing. This wasn’t just Kara, this was Supergirl. The girl of steel. Though she was using significant effort she wasn’t able to push nearly deep enough. Lena tripled her efforts engaging every muscle available to her in each compression, a sheen of sweat quickly forming on her skin.

After thirty strained compressions she tilted Kara’s head back and opened her airways. Lena pinched Kara’s nose shut and sealed her mouth onto Kara’s and breathed air into lungs. Then thirty more compressions. As she administered rescue breath into Kara, a sweat soaked Lena became acutely aware of her aching arms.

On her third repetition the functional part of her brain already attempted recalculating the drop in chance of survival.

“Come on Kara,” Lena pleaded. But there Kara remained unmoving.

Lena gritted her teeth in frustration, fatigue setting in after only ninety seconds of proper chest compression. Each press gradually became shallower and less effective, until soon the action was a meaningless token gesture.

The body below her remained still.

With her mouth on Kara’s for one more futile attempt, desolation bloomed in her heart and overwhelmed her brain, halting all function. Lena could feel the tremor in her hands as they found their way to the sides of Kara’s face.

“Kara wake up!” Lena shook Kara’s head.

Lena’s face contorted in pain.

“Kara- please. I’m sorry for everything. Please come back. I’m sorry.”

She rested her head in the kryptonian’s crest and sobbed. Grieving like she had never done for anyone else before. Not even for her own mother. Lena’s could feel her heart hollow at the thought of being alone. That it was because of her own doing. That she killed Kara.

She killed National City’s resident hero without even trying. Lex would be proud.

Unconsciously in Lena’s grief, her fingers curled into Kara’s burnt face accidentally pulling off flecks of the charred skin with her nails. She shot upright recoiling at the desecration of Kara’s body, retracting her hands so as not to cause anymore damage. She had already done enough.

Just as she was about to apologize again, she tilted her head, observing the corpse before her.

The area soot she had scratched off Kara’s face exposed almost entirely healed skin beneath. That the third degree burns Kara came in with was now first degree burns.

Her body was still healing.

With renewed vigor, Lena took hold of Kara’s face and shook aggressively until she impatiently began tapping the unscorched side of Kara’s face.

“Come on Kara- I know you’re in there.”

_Fool- she’s not asleep, she’s dead. _

These last drops of hope Lena was clinging onto were however evaporating quickly.

Lena screamed and in a frenzied last ditch effort, hammered her fist down in the middle of Supergirl’s crest. Over and over and over.

“Get up!” Lena shouted with a heavy pound.

Kara’s torso bucked into the strike with a deep inhale.

Lena’s eyes widened while Kara’s eyelids fluttered open for only a moment. Her blue eyes glazing over Lena’s face before they rolled back and she returned to slumber, this time with a steady breath.

The rise and fall of Supergirl's chest brought a hypnotic relief. Lena stared in disbelief, jaw dropped, unaware of her seemingly endless supply of fresh tears. She was suddenly exhausted herself. It had been a very long day.

Her legs stretched out from their kneeling position and Lena relinquished all her weight onto half of Kara’s body, pushing her ear into the middle of Kara’s chest. She closed her eyes and listened to the steady thump of Kara’s beating heart. With her adrenaline subsiding, Lena found there was no sweeter lullaby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	46. Housekeeping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> filler chapter before the last...

Director Danvers was finishing off her fifth cup of coffee as a late brunch. Kelly had called having not heard from her for over 24 hours. After some reassurances, Alex promised she was fine and that she’d get some actual food soon, that she was just having one of those days.

That was a bit of an understatement.

Under an hour was spent at the waterfront organizing search and rescue to find a missing Supergirl, when she got a call from Lena. Admitting that Alex was right and she deleted Hope. But more importantly, Supergirl was at LCorp. What followed was the first of many scolds Lena would receive from Alex.

The DEO secured a vulnerable LCorp as Alex made her way to Lena’s office. Alex couldn’t help but be initially miffed at the sight of Lena draped over Kara’s unconscious body. Her heart was immediately unburdened by the mere sight of Kara. She was severely injured but she was alive. They could fix everything else. Eve Tessmacher laid askew close by, unconscious as well. Lena herself appeared haggard, ailing with heartache herself.

Both Supergirl and Eve Tessmacher were to be taken to the DEO for treatment and recovery.

Alex ordered Lena to hand over her cache of nanobots to Brainy and then be placed into DEO custody.

Lena only glanced at Alex knowingly before submitting to both without complaint; handcuffed and taken away to be put in the dark hole Alex promised her earlier.

At the DEO there was nothing much to be done for Kara, outside of firing up the sun lamps and wait. Examination revealed that she was seriously injured with third degree burns and a few cracked ribs from the blast. She was stable and healing slowly.

Eve on the other hand appeared to be fine for the most part and it took another hour for her to wake. While Eve was still unconscious Alex wanted to get as much info as she could about what happened- so Alex had J’onn probe her mind. J’onn gave her the cliff notes version of the affairs of Eve, Lena and Leviathan but he preferred to go into more detail after they thoroughly debriefed Eve.

Discarding her empty coffee cup, Alex decided it was time to check in on Kara. Alex warded her in a clean room just in case she had any residual effects from the kryptonite; the last thing she would need to worry about was an infection. Opening the door she titled her head curiously at the sight.

Lena’s both hands encircling Kara’s, her head on Kara’s bicep sound asleep. Truth is she was also having one of those days.

Alex certainly took her by surprise when she dragged the young Luthor out of her holding cell and deposited her in Brainy’s charge. They were going to work on getting the kryptonite emitter out of Supergirl brain. Brainy had calculated a 83.9% chance of successful extraction of the emitter while Supergirl was still recovering from her other injuries and the risk of doing it now would be no greater than waiting for it to be triggered again. Lena was dumbfounded at first, but as Brainy prattled off numbers to her she appeared to relish the opportunity to be helpful instead of rotting away.

The extraction was successfully accomplished in just over two hours.

After which Alex ordered Lena to stay with Kara and call her when her sister woke up. Again taking Lena by surprise but one she accepted gratefully.


	47. Foiled Escape and Resultant Surrender

Alex walked up to the gurney to find Kara’s eyes barely cracked open watching Lena, who was sitting on a chair next to her, sleep soundly on her arm.

“You know I gave her one job- to tell me when you woke up and she falls asleep.”

As her suit was charred and her skin burnt, Supergirl was uncharacteristically out of her suit and put into some black, DEO issued scrubs.

Kara smiled before she rasped softly, “Luthors aren’t has hardcore as they want people to think.”

Kara turned slowly to face Alex careful not to move the hand Lena was resting on, careful not to wake her. In the same vein, spoke quietly.

“Everyone’s ok from the hospital?”

“Everyone’s ok. Except you. You’ve been out for about twelve hours. Everything appears healed now so that’s good.”

Kara sighed, disappointed in herself for having to break her promises, especially to Alex.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean worry you. I just- wasn’t sure if I was going to get out of that one.”

“I’d be furious if I weren’t relieved that you’re alive. You’ll be glad to know we got that kryptonite emitter out while you were asleep,” Alex placed her hand on Kara’s shoulder sharing her relief.

“What about Leviathan.”

But Alex just shook her head, “Jeez you both are the same. One thing at a time Kara. On your feet first, then we can deal with Leviathan.”

_Get this business with Lena sorted first then we can move forward._

Kara shut her eyes and winced inward.

“How do you feel?”

“I’m fine.”

Alex’s concerned eyes bore into hers, “Kara…”

Kara deflated as her head leaned into her pillow, “I feel like a potato that’s been deep fried then baked.”

“Food references- that’s another good sign.”

As if on cue Kara’s stomach gave a loud growl, causing them both to huff a laugh between the Danvers sisters.

But the commotion roused the sleeping Luthor.

“Kara.”

Lena sat up quickly and found two pairs of eyes staring back at her. Kara was awake. Alex caught her sleeping.

“You had one job Lena,” Alex stated plainly.

Kara swatted her sister playfully with the back of her hand.

Lena’s cheeks turned red with embarrassment and she started extracting herself, pulling away her hands but was stopped by Kara who held fast to her, cutting off her escape. She swallowed unsure of what to do.

Kara just smiled at her, “Thank you for saving me.”

Lena’s eyebrows crept up her face, “Thank me? You’ve clearly sustained some brain damage. I’m responsible for all that’s happened to you.”

Kara chuckled, “No you told me to stay alive and to come back to you. I don’t even know how I heard it or how I even did it. But you called me and brought me back. If it wasn’t for that I prob-”

“Stop,” Lena whispered as she closed her eyes.

Alex observed as Kara’s voice abruptly cut off and her jaw clamped shut. A flash of panic ensued. She had more to say but somehow couldn’t say it.

“Lena!”

Caught in her own self loathing Lena was only made aware of the predicament when Kara squeezed her hand tighter. She opened her eyes to a glaring Alex and Kara’s uneasy expression.

“Oh my God,” she closed her eyes thinking for a second, “Kara you are to henceforth make your own choices and decisions and not follow any more of my or anyone else’s orders.”

Kara swallowed as Lena held her gaze but slowly eased the tension of her grasp on Lena’s hand.

“Kara?” Alex’s concern grew.

Kara opened her mouth slowly but hesitantly spoke, “I’m fine.”

Both Lena and Alex let out relieved breaths.

“We’re going to have to work on that,” Alex glared at Lena again.

“You’re going to have to work on it without me.”

“What?” Kara grimaced as she rose from the bed to sit up never once letting go of Lena.

Lena was up on her feet trying to help Alex steady her stubborn, alien sister.

“Lena what are you saying?” Kara’s staring into the sad sea of green.

“Kara I did this. I’m responsible. At first I was going to out you at the Pulitzer ceremony. Then I decided to use you to help me mind control the world. I wanted to humiliate you. To hurt you like you hurt me.”

Lena was crying, “We can try to blame Leviathan or even Hope, but in the end they were both just tools doing _my_ bidding. In the end I hurt you. Hell I almost killed you.”

Lena couldn’t look at Kara anymore, closing her teary eyes and bending her head in shame. When she finally felt Kara let go of her hand, she knew that was it. She destroyed the best things she had and this time deserved the hate that was to follow. Lena felt as though she was about to fall into an abyss that opened up from below.

But before the void dragged Lena into the depths, two strong arms wrapped around her, preventing her from being swallowed. She melted in the familiar warmth the way she always did. Her own arms reaching around as her body shook with sobs, her eyes buried in the crook of Kara’s neck. Ugly crying the way only Kara had seen her do once before. Kara, the only person she had ever truly allowed herself to be vulnerable with.

Only when Lena’s body stilled and could weep no more did Kara speak.

“I’m so sorry I hurt you Lena.”

Lena frowned as she forcibly ejected herself from the embrace.

“Haven’t you heard what I said?”

“I heard every word and I am sorry I caused you pain. I am so sorry.”

Lena shook her head, “I should be the one apologizing to you.”

Alex who was still in the room, her presence forgotten by Lena interjected at this point, “Then maybe you should.”

Tears streamed down Lena’s face as her mouth quivered, her eyes seemed to be searching for the words.

“Kara I- I’m sorry,” Lena’s fragile voice was just louder than a whisper, her tentative eyes meeting Kara’s.

Kara gave a small, curiously proud smile at Lena then casually responded, “Apology accepted,” before holding out her arm beckoning Lena to come closer.

Lena’s frown only deepened, “What?”

“What what?”

“It can’t be that easy. You can’t just…forgive me like that. I almost killed you Kara!”

Lena was clearly seeking greater penance for her transgressions. Atonement clearly wasn’t something that was so simple for Luthors. A perplexed Kara looked to Alex for guidance.

Director Danvers cleared her throat, “Well- now you have to swear that you’ll always keep Kara safe Ms. Luthor.”

Kara again swatted at Alex who could only shrug in confusion, not knowing what else to do in this situation.

Kara leaned out of the bed, stretching out to grab hold of Lena’s forearm, pulling her close, and then hugged Lena tightly once more.

“Well this is how we do it in this family Lena.”

Glancing over Kara’s broad shoulders Lena caught Alex’s eye. The older Danvers nodded assuredly with a sideways smile, affirming that it was indeed a practiced custom.

Only then did the tension in her body release with relieving tears as Lena’s arms instinctively found their familiar place around Kara, surrendering once more. In the back of her mind confused as to how she ever really thought she could live without this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fin. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading. Hope you enjoyed. 
> 
> Feel free to leave a comment. I like getting your feedback.


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